A kind of method improving epitaxial layer of sapphire substrate uniformity
Technical field
The present invention relates to a kind of method improving growing GaN epitaxial loayer uniformity on sapphire pattern substrate, belong to photoelectron technical field.
Background technology
For GaN base light-emitting diode (GaN-LED), the warpage issues of backing material and the uniformity of grown epitaxial layer are the objects that numerous people pay close attention to; Conventional backing material has sapphire, Si, SiC at present.Usually, on a sapphire substrate, Sapphire Substrate has many advantages to the epitaxial loayer primary growth of GaN base materials and devices: first, and the production technology of Sapphire Substrate is ripe, device quality is better; Secondly, sapphire stability is fine, is applicable in high growth temperature environment; 3rd, sapphire mechanical strength is high, is easy to process and cleaning.Therefore, mostly all GaN base LED is prepared using sapphire as substrate.But use sapphire also to there are some problems as substrate, due to lattice mismatch and thermal stress mismatch, the warpage of substrate own is obvious, and after growing GaN, epitaxial loayer easily splits, and affects the making of chip, causes difficulty to follow-up device fabrication.
For lattice mismatch and the thermal stress mismatch problems of Sapphire Substrate, many employings sapphire pattern substrate technology (PSS) at present, PSS can solve owing to there is larger lattice mismatch and coefficient of thermal expansion mismatch between sapphire and GaN on the one hand, for a face, Sapphire Substrate lattice constant 3.18, thermal coefficient of expansion 7.5 × 10
-6k
-1, GaN lattice constant 0.47, thermal coefficient of expansion 5.59 × 10
-6k
-1; The simultaneously PSS miniature figure structural change growth course of GaN, can suppress defect to extend to epitaxial surface, reduce the defect concentration of extension.On the other hand, there is gap in the refractive index of extension GaN and Sapphire Substrate and the refractive index of air, the refractive index 2.4 of GaN material is higher than the refractive index 1.0 of Sapphire Substrate refractive index 1.7 and air, the light sent from GaN active area arrives Sapphire Substrate, when the angle of incidence is larger than a critical angle, namely there is total reflection, propagate through GaN material, to the interface of GaN and air, GaN refractive index is also greater than the refractive index of air, when the angle of incidence is larger than a critical angle, total reflection phenomenon can be there is equally, the light that such multiple total reflection causes GaN active area to send is absorbed by material through repeatedly reflecting between sapphire and air, reduce the extraction efficiency of light, PSS graphic structure changes the round that active area sends light, reduce incidence angle, reduce the chance of total reflection, increase bright dipping chance, more light is reflected through PSS structure function, improve light extraction efficiency.Although PSS technology improves light extraction efficiency, but do not reduce the stress produced in growth course, the uniformity of grown epitaxial layer also fails therefore to increase.
Chinese patent document CN1294649 discloses a kind of method of wet etching sapphire pattern substrate, comprise: steam coating silicon dioxide mask layer on sapphire C face, is carved into bar shaped by photoetching technique, then this substrate of corrosive liquid wet etching, finally remove mask, obtain sapphire pattern substrate.Adopt the substrate growth epitaxial loayer directly forming figure, during growing GaN base, threading dislocation direction by vertically transferring level to, thus reduces GaN base epitaxial loayer dislocation density, improves epitaxial loayer crystal mass.But the method can not discharge stress in advance, produce larger stress, make it warpage in GaN growth process, after growth, the uniformity of epitaxial wafer is also poor.In addition, use wet etching to obtain the mask pattern of silicon dioxide, because third dimension (size) is very little, the method for wet etching is difficult to the size controlling figure, and the cost of dry etching is very high, is unfavorable for mass production.
Summary of the invention
The present invention is directed to prior art Problems existing, a kind of method improving sapphire flat substrate or graph substrate epitaxial layer of gallium nitride uniformity is provided.
Terminological interpretation:
MOCVD: metal organic vapor phase epitaxy.
GaN-LED:GaN based light-emitting diode.
PSS figure: Patterned sapphire substrate sapphire pattern substrate.
Wet etching: be etachable material is immersed in the technology of carrying out in corrosive liquid corroding.The mixed solution of sulfuric acid and phosphoric acid is commonly used in this area, corrodes at 250-300 DEG C.
Dry etching: use ICP (sense coupling) to etch.
Technical scheme of the present invention is as follows:
Improve a method for epitaxial layer of sapphire substrate uniformity, comprise the following steps:
(1) utilize laser scribing means to carry out laser scribing to Sapphire Substrate, on Sapphire Substrate front or the back side, mark the square-shaped patterns of 0.1mil × 0.1mil ~ 100mil × 100mil with laser, obtained sapphire flat substrate.
(2) in gained sapphire flat substrate, mocvd method growing GaN epitaxial loayer is adopted.For the preparation of LED.
Square-shaped patterns size preferred 10mil × 10mil ~ 30mil × 30mil described in step (1) in said method.
Laser scribing described in step (1) in said method, scratch depth preferably 2 μm ~ 10 μm, width preferably 0.5 μm ~ 5 μm.
Said method is concrete preferred version with the Sapphire Substrate front scribing of embodiment 1.
Improve a method for epitaxial layer of sapphire substrate uniformity, comprise the following steps:
1) utilize laser scribing means to carry out laser scribing to Sapphire Substrate, on Sapphire Substrate front or the back side, mark the square-shaped patterns of 0.1mil × 0.1mil ~ 100mil × 100mil with laser, obtained sapphire flat substrate.
2) in step 1) on sapphire flat substrate front, SiN or SiO of evaporation one deck 100nm ~ 500nm
2mask; As Fig. 2.Mask layer is coated with one deck photoresist, utilize the figure that photolithography plate designs by photoresist, transfer on the square-shaped patterns area mask layer of 0.1mil × 0.1mil ~ 100mil × 100mil, after development, peel off the mask on photoresist, retain the mask on figure, by washed with de-ionized water, the mask pattern of formation rule, as Fig. 3;
3) by step 2) obtained substrate etches, and obtains the sapphire pattern substrate of mask layer; Recycling hydrofluoric acid solution erosion removal mask, rinses, dries, obtain the sapphire pattern substrate that laser scribing is crossed; The sapphire pattern substrate that this laser scribing is crossed adopts mocvd method growing GaN epitaxial loayer, for the preparation of LED.
Sapphire pattern substrate prepared by front laser scribing as shown in Figure 4; Sapphire pattern substrate prepared by backside laser scribing, as shown in Figure 5.
Step 1 in said method) described in laser scribing, scratch depth 2 μm ~ 10 μm, width 0.5 μm ~ 3 μm.
Step 1 in said method) described in square-shaped patterns size preferred 10mil × 10mil ~ 30mil × 30mil.
Step 2 in said method) described in mask pattern be circular, diameter is 2 μm ~ 3 μm.
Step 3 in said method) described in cleaning be first each ultrasonic 10min in acetone, ethanol respectively, then use deionized water rinsing.
Step 2 in said method) described in etching by prior art, wet etching or dry etching.
Said method is concrete preferred version with embodiment 2,4.
With mocvd method growing GaN epitaxial loayer in the sapphire flat substrate crossed at above-mentioned laser scribing or graph substrate, because laser scribing is by Sapphire Substrate Stress Release, reduce the stress produced in growth course, improve the uniformity of GaN epitaxial layer.
Feature of the present invention and excellent results as follows:
1, the present invention is by Sapphire Substrate laser scribing, the sapphire flat substrate of gained can be directly used in mocvd method growing GaN epitaxial loayer, because stress can first discharge by laser scribing, produces tensile stress in GaN growth process, substrate is stretched out, thus reduces substrate warpage degree.
2, first Sapphire Substrate is marked square-shaped patterns with laser by the present invention, then such as circular pattern is prepared by sapphire pattern substrate technology, and then growing GaN epitaxial loayer, because Sapphire Substrate great majority are concave surfaces, downsagging, after laser scribing streaks, stress is first discharged, then growing GaN, in GaN growth process, produce tensile stress, substrate is stretched out, thus reduces angularity.Thus solve sapphire growth GaN lattice mismatch, produce stress comparatively large, the problem that epitaxial loayer easily splits and uniformity is poor.
3, the GaN of method Sapphire Substrate of the present invention growth is for the preparation of LED, can after making tube core direct sliver on former, the step sliver operation in minimizing subsequent technique, save time, laser scribing crosses the inclined-plane of generation, can increase tube core bright dipping.
Accompanying drawing explanation
Fig. 1 is the vertical view of the Sapphire Substrate prepared by laser scribing.In figure, horizontal, vertical straight line is laser scratch.
Fig. 2 is the schematic diagram of making PSS figure in laser scribing square-shaped patterns region.Only with the figure signal in a lattice, it is the PSS figure that front sees in laser scribing region.
Fig. 3 makes figure substrate masks after the laser scribing of front.Fig. 4 is the graph substrate produced after the laser scribing of front.
Fig. 5 makes graph substrate in front according in scribing rear region after backside laser scribing.Front etched features correspond to the region of backside laser paddle-tumble.
Wherein, 1, Sapphire Substrate, 2, photoresist (mask pattern), 3, SiO
2film, 4, sapphire pattern substrate (PSS figure).
Embodiment
Below in conjunction with embodiment, the present invention is done through a step explanation.The laser scribing means used in embodiment is this area conventional equipment, model: AS2112, Newwave company produces.The Sapphire Substrate used in embodiment is brilliant U.S. 2 inch substrates in Taiwan.
Embodiment 1:
Improve the method for sapphire flat substrate epitaxial layer of gallium nitride uniformity, step is as follows:
(1) Sapphire Substrate is loaded in laser scribing means; Fixing Sapphire Substrate, on blue film, is adsorbed on plant bottom case by vacuum mode; By laser (1.3W), Sapphire Substrate front or the back side are drawn the square-shaped patterns of upper 10mil × 10mil, scratch depth 6 μm, front scribing schematic diagram is as Fig. 1;
(2) pass through MOCVD growing GaN epitaxial loayer in obtained sapphire flat substrate front, prepare LED by prior art.
Embodiment 2:
Improve the method for sapphire pattern substrate epitaxial layer of gallium nitride uniformity, step is as follows:
1) Sapphire Substrate is loaded in laser scribing means; Fixing Sapphire Substrate, on blue film, is adsorbed on plant bottom case by vacuum mode; By laser (1.3W), Sapphire Substrate front is drawn the square-shaped patterns of upper 10mil × 10mil, see Fig. 1; Scratch depth 5 μm, width 1 μm;
2) on sapphire front, the thick SiO of last layer 200nm is steamed by the method for evaporation
2mask; Mask layer is coated with last layer photoresist, utilizes photoresist by photoetching circular pattern, diameter 2 μm, transfer on the square-shaped patterns area mask layer of 10mil × 10mil, utilize photoetching to expose version, 20 seconds time for exposure, develop after 60 seconds, developer solution is alkaline solution; Toast 30 minutes, corrosion (or etching) mask layer, remove photoresist according to a conventional method, washed with de-ionized water is complete, and the mask pattern of formation rule, is shown in Fig. 3;
3) by step 2) obtained substrate utilizes existing wet etching technique to etch, namely etch in 250-300 DEG C in the mixed solution of sulfuric acid and phosphoric acid, after having etched, hydrofluoric acid solution is utilized to remove mask, by acetone, ethanol, namely washed with de-ionized water obtains required sapphire pattern substrate, sees Fig. 4;
4) by the above-mentioned sapphire pattern substrate prepared by MOCVD growing GaN, for the preparation of LED.
Embodiment 3:
As described in Example 2, difference is, only draws the square-shaped patterns of 10mil × 10mil at the Sapphire Substrate back side.
Embodiment 4:
Improve the method for sapphire pattern substrate epitaxial layer of gallium nitride uniformity, step is as follows:
1) Sapphire Substrate is loaded in laser scribing means; Fixing Sapphire Substrate, on blue film, is adsorbed on plant bottom case by vacuum mode; By laser (1.3W), sapphire backsides is drawn the square-shaped patterns of upper 20mil × 20mil, scratch depth 7 μm, width 2 μm;
2) on sapphire front, the thick SiN mask of last layer 300nm is steamed by the method for evaporation; Mask layer is coated with last layer photoresist, utilize photoresist to be transferred on the square-shaped patterns area mask layer of 20mil × 20mil by diameter 2.5 μm of circular patterns, utilize photoetching to expose version, 20 seconds time for exposure, develop after 60 seconds, developer solution is alkaline solution; Toast 30 minutes, corrosion (or etching) mask layer, remove photoresist according to a conventional method, washed with de-ionized water is complete, the mask pattern of formation rule;
3) by step 2) obtained substrate utilizes existing dry etching technology to etch, and adopts BCl
3and Cl
2gas etching, after having etched, utilize hydrofluoric acid solution to remove mask, by acetone, ethanol, namely washed with de-ionized water obtains required sapphire pattern substrate, sees Fig. 4;
4) by the above-mentioned sapphire pattern substrate prepared by MOCVD growing GaN, for the preparation of LED.
The sapphire pattern substrate epitaxial layer of gallium nitride of testing example 1-4, method of testing adopts X-Ray swing curve to test the uniformity of 102 half-peak breadths and photoluminescence spectrum test GaN growth, and test data is listed in the table below:
Sample |
X-Ray (102) half-breadth (s) |
Uniformity |
Embodiment 1 is just drawing sapphire flat substrate |
286 |
3.3 |
Embodiment 2 just draws sapphire pattern substrate |
251 |
3.1 |
Embodiment 3 is carried on the back and is drawn sapphire pattern substrate |
284 |
3.6 |
Embodiment 4 is carried on the back and is drawn sapphire pattern substrate |
255 |
3.5 |
Without the sapphire pattern substrate of laser scribing |
326 |
4.0 |
Illustrate: without the sapphire pattern substrate of laser scribing, substrate graph preparation method is identical with embodiment 2, does not just carry out laser scribing.
Conclusion: known according to above contrast, method of the present invention improves epitaxy of gallium nitride layer growth uniformity and GaN-LED quality.