Shin-etsu Handotai Co., Ltd.

Tsuneyuki Kaise

Masataka Watanabe

Masayuki Shinohara

Masahisa Endou

Masahisa Endo

Toshio Otaki

Jun Ikeda

Tohru Takahashi

Method for fabricating compound semiconductor epitaxial wafer and vapor phase growth apparatus using the same

A method for manufacturing compound semiconductor epitaxial wafer allowing sharp changes in alloy composition and growth of high-quality epitaxial layers. In a process for epitaxially growing a gallium arsenide phosphide GaAs,P,alloy composition gradient layer,on a compound semiconductor single-crystalline substrate made of gallium phosphide GaP or gallium arsenide GaAs, one group V gas as a source for the group V element not composing the single-crystalline substrate is varied in its supply volume in at least one cycle of sharp increase/moderate decrease, while the other group V gas as a source for the group V element composing the single-crystalline substrate is moderately decreased, thereby achieving at least one cycle of sharp increase/moderate decrease of a product of partial pressures of the group III and group V gases so that at least one set of an increasing zone and a decreasing zone of the alloy composition is formed within the gallium arsenide phosphide GaAs,P,alloy composition gradient layer

Method for manufacturing compound semiconductor epitaxial wafer

Compound semiconductor epitaxial wafer

A compound semiconductor epitaxial wafer added with nitrogen to provide a high luminous efficiency. Epitaxial layers are grown on a single crystalline substrate 4 made of gallium phosphide or gallium arsenide to form a compound semiconductor epitaxial wafer EW. The epitaxial layers include at least an nitrogen-added gallium phosphide arsenide mixed crystalline epitaxial layer having an n-type carrier concentration descending gradually toward the uppermost surface of the grown layer in a continuous or stepwise manner before p-type impurity is diffused, and contain an intermediate layer 83 with an n-type carrier concentration of 4.times.10.sup.14 /cm.sup.3 or more and less than 3.5.times.10.sup.15 /cm.sup.3, and a surface layer 84 having an n-type carrier concentration equals to or lower than that for the intermediate layer 83.

A method for a vapor-phase growth of a GaAs.sub.1-x P.sub.x epitaxial layer having a uniform thickness is disclosed. This method allows the GaAs.sub.1-x P.sub.x epitaxial layer (wherein x stands for an alloy composition satisfying the expression, 0.ltoreq.x.ltoreq.1) to be formed on a plurality of semiconductor single crystal substrates 1 by setting the semiconductor single crystal substrates 1 in place on a wafer holder 16 disposed inside a vapor-phase growth apparatus 30 in an amount of not less than 70% as the covering ratio of the total surface area of the substrates to the surface area of the wafer holder 16.

Method for vapor-phase growth

A compound semiconductor single crystal which has an Si concentration of not more than 1.times.10.sup.17 atoms/cm.sup.3 and/or an O concentration of not more than 7.times.10.sup.16 atoms/cm.sup.3 is particularly suitable for use as substrate for epitaxial deposition of a high luminance light-emitting device which emits green light.

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Annaka, Japan

Tsuneyuki Kaise