Semiconductor Layer System Having a Semipolar or M-Planar Group Iii Nitride Layer and Semiconductor Component Based Thereon

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This patent describes a semiconductor layer system that includes a semipolar or m-plane group III nitride layer with significantly reduced stacking faults. The innovation involves sandwiching a thin intermediate layer (with a different lattice constant) between a first nitride layer with many stacking faults and a second nitride layer, which results in the upper layer having far fewer defects. This structure is especially useful for improving the efficiency and performance of optoelectronic devices like LEDs and lasers by minimizing disruptive crystal defects.

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• High-efficiency light-emitting diodes (LEDs) operating in visible and ultraviolet spectrums
• Semiconductor lasers
• Photovoltaic (solar) cells
• Transistors used in high-frequency or high-power applications
• Surface and bulk acoustic wave devices
• Microelectromechanical systems (MEMS)
• Advanced optoelectronic and electronic semiconductor devices requiring high crystal quality

BenefitsContent extracted from patent full text and abstract with AI.

• Significant reduction in stacking faults, leading to better material quality
• Improved device efficiency and reliability, particularly in LEDs and lasers
• Enhanced photoluminescence and reduced non-radiative recombination due to fewer defects
• Method can be integrated into common semiconductor manufacturing techniques such as MOCVD, HVPE, or MBE
• Versatile applicability to both semipolar and m-plane oriented nitride semiconductors
• Enables better performance in long-wavelength optoelectronic devices, overcoming traditional limitations caused by polarization effects
• Can be adapted to different substrate materials, such as sapphire or SiC, improving flexibility in device design

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Patent Abstract

The invention relates to a semiconductor layer system comprising a semipolar or m-planar group III nitride layer, wherein at least one first layer (102) having a first lattice constant and stacking faults and one second layer (104) having a second lattice constant and having a lower number of stacking faults than the first layer (102) are present, wherein a third layer (103) is disposed between the first layer (102) and the second layer (104), the third lattice constant of said third layer being different from the first lattice constant of the first layer (102). The invention further relates to a method for producing a semiconductor layer system, to a semiconductor component comprising the semiconductor layer system, and to various applications of the semiconductor layer system.