Growth of planar reduced dislocation density m-plane gallium nitride by hydride vapor phase epitaxy

Abstract

A method of growing highly planar, fully transparent and specular m-plane gallium nitride (GaN) films. The method provides for a significant reduction in structural defect densities via a lateral overgrowth technique. High quality, uniform, thick m-plane GaN films are produced for use as substrates for polarization-free device growth.

1 . A device having a structure that includes a lateral epitaxial overgrowth layer grown in a non-polar direction and having a top surface that is non-polar, the lateral epitaxial overgrowth layer comprising a non-polar III-nitride film. 
     
     
         2 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the device is a spontaneous and piezoelectric polarization-free device. 
     
     
         3 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the lateral epitaxial overgrowth layer resides on a surface of a direct growth layer, the direct growth layer comprising a III-nitride film. 
     
     
         4 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the non-polar III-nitride film is a planar film. 
     
     
         5 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the non-polar III-nitride film is an m-plane gallium nitride (GaN) film. 
     
     
         6 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the non-polar III-nitride film contains a dislocation density less than 10 8  cm −2 . 
     
     
         7 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the device is a laser diode, light-emitting diode or transistor. 
     
     
         8 . A method of growing non-polar III-nitride, comprising:
 (a) performing a lateral epitaxial overgrowth (LEO) of the III-nitride from a surface, resulting in the non-polar III-nitride having a top surface that is a non-polar plane.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising:
 performing a direct growth of a III-nitride, prior to step (a), resulting in the surface of the direct growth, wherein the LEO is performed from the surface of the direct growth.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the direct growth is performed by metalorganic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD), hydride vapor phase epitaxy (HVPE), Vapor Phase Epitaxy (VPE) or molecular beam epitaxy (MBE). 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the LEO is performed using a vapor phase epitaxy. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the non-polar III-nitride is a planar film. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the non-polar III-nitride is a film produced for use as a substrate for spontaneous and piezoelectric polarization-free device growth. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the non-polar III-nitride is an m-plane gallium nitride (GaN) film. 
     
     
         15 . A device fabricated using the method of  claim 8 .