Patent ID: 9515162
Filing Date: 2016-12-06
CPC Classification: H01L

Claim Text:
1. A method of forming a III-V semiconductor device, the method comprising: forming a substrate comprising a buffer layer and a barrier layer adjoining and extending along the buffer layer, the buffer and barrier layers being formed from first and second semiconductor materials having different band-gaps such that an electrically conductive channel comprising a two-dimensional charge carrier gas arises at an interface between the buffer and barrier layers due to piezoelectric effects; applying a fluorine treatment to the substrate, comprising: masking the barrier layer prior to applying the fluorine treatment so as to expose a first lateral surface section of the barrier layer o he buffer layer from the mask; placing the substrate in a fluorine containing gas mixture, the fluorine containing gas mixture comprising free radical state fluorine particles and being substantially devoid of ionic state fluorine particles; exposing the first lateral surface section of the substrate to the fluorine containing gas mixture such that the free radical state fluorine particles contact the first lateral surface section without penetrating the substrate removing the mask after the fluorine treatment; and forming a semiconductor device in the substrate that incorporates the first lateral surface section into the structure of the semiconductor device.