Patent Description:
Semiconductor devices using gallium oxide (Ga<NUM>O<NUM>) with a large band gap attract more attention as next generation switching devices achieving high voltage, low loss, and high heat resistance. Such semiconductor devices are expected to be applied to power semiconductor devices (power devices), such as inverters. According to NPL <NUM>, gallium oxide has a band gap that may be controlled by forming mixed crystal with indium or aluminum, individually, or in combination of them. Among them, InAlGaO based semiconductors represented by InX'AlY'GaZ'O<NUM> (<NUM>≤X'≤<NUM>, <NUM>≤Y'≤<NUM>, <NUM>≤Z'≤<NUM>, X' + Y' + Z' = <NUM> to <NUM>) are extremely attractive materials.

PTL <NUM> describes a high crystalline conductive α-Ga<NUM>O<NUM> thin film with a dopant (tetravalent tin) added thereto. The thin film described in PTL <NUM> is, however, not capable of maintaining sufficient withstand voltage and contains many carbon impurities, resulting in not yet satisfactory semiconductor properties including conductivity. It thus has been quite difficult to be used for a semiconductor device.

NPL <NUM> describes an α-Ga<NUM>O<NUM> thin film may be formed on sapphire by MBE. It however describes that, although the crystal grows up to a film thickness of <NUM> at a temperature of <NUM> or less, the quality of the crystal becomes worse with a film thickness more than that and it is not possible to obtain a film with a film thickness of <NUM> or more.

An α-Ga<NUM>O<NUM> thin film with a film thickness of <NUM> or more without crystal quality degradation has been, therefore, expected.

PTL <NUM> describes a method of producing an oxide crystal thin film by mist CVD using a bromide or an iodide of gallium or indium.

PTLs <NUM> to <NUM> describe multilayer structures having a semiconductor layer of a corundum crystal structure and an insulating film of a corundum crystal structure that are laminated on a base substrate of a corundum crystal structure.

PTLs <NUM> to <NUM> are publications on patents and a patent application by the present applicant.

NPL <NUM> discloses α-Ga<NUM>O<NUM> thin films haying a thickness of <NUM> to <NUM> and a Hall mobility of <NUM><NUM>/V·s.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a semiconductor device comprising a crystalline film with excellent crystallinity.

As a result of intensive examination to achieve the above object, the present inventors have found that a semiconductor device as defined by the appending claims has good semiconductor properties, in particular, mobility.

The semiconductor device is good in mobility, and the crystalline film thereof is excellent in crystallinity.

The semiconductor device of the present invention includes: a crystalline semiconductor film; and an electrode; wherein the crystalline semiconductor film is a corundum structured Ga<NUM>O<NUM> film, and the crystalline semiconductor film contains an n-type dopant. The crystalline semiconductor film is obtained by epitaxial growth on a c-plane, m-plane, a-plane, or r-plane sapphire substrate having an off angle from <NUM>° to <NUM>°, the crystalline semiconductor film has the same off angle, and a thickness of the crystalline semiconductor film is <NUM> or more.

The crystal substrate on which the crystalline semiconductor film is epitaxially grown is not particularly limited as long as the substrate is c-plane, m-plane, a-plane, or r-plane sapphire and has an off angle from <NUM>° to <NUM>°. Such a sapphire substrate is not particularly limited as long as the substrate is capable of supporting the crystalline film. The presence of a corundum structure may be identified by an X-ray diffractometer. In the present invention, the thickness of the crystal substrate is not particularly limited to, but is preferably from <NUM> to <NUM> and more preferably from <NUM> to <NUM>.

In the present invention, the crystal substrate is a c-plane sapphire substrate, an m- plane sapphire substrate, an a- plane sapphire substrate, or an r- plane sapphire substrate. The use of such a preferred base substrate allows further reduction in the carbon content of impurities, the carrier concentration, and the half-width of the crystalline semiconductor film compared with a case of using another substrate.

The crystal substrate has an off angle from <NUM>° to <NUM>°, and in the present invention, the off angle is preferably approximately from <NUM>° to <NUM>° and more preferably approximately from <NUM>° to <NUM>°. Such a preferred off angle causes even more excellent semiconductor properties, in particular the mobility, of the crystalline film formed on the crystal substrate. The "off angle" of the crystal substrate means an angle formed by a surface of the substrate and a crystal growth surface.

In the present invention, such a crystal substrate with the off angle maybe produced in a conventional method. Examples of the method include known technique, such as polishing, to give the off angle to the crystal substrate. In the present invention, after giving the off angle to the crystal substrate, further known process may be applied. Examples of such process include providing a multi-step structure by, arranging micropores or microspikes after polishing and then carrying out a heat treatment.

In the present invention, the crystalline semiconductor film is formed directly on the sapphire or, in embodiments not forming part of the claimed invention, with another layer therebetween. The crystalline film is a corundum structured Ga<NUM>O<NUM> and is an epitaxial film formed by epitaxial growth. Being formed by epitaxial growth on the crystal substrate, the crystalline film has an off angle approximately from <NUM>° to <NUM>°. In the present invention, the off angle is preferably approximately from <NUM>° to <NUM>° and more preferably approximately from <NUM>° to <NUM>°. Such a preferred off angle causes even more excellent semiconductor properties, in particular the mobility, of the crystalline film. The "off angle" of the crystalline film means an angle formed by a crystalline film surface and a crystal growth surface.

In the present invention, the crystalline film further contains an n-type dopant. In the film of the present invention, the semiconductor properties, particularly the mobility, are excellent. In embodiments not forming part of the claimed invention, crystalline oxide does not have to be a semiconductor. Even when the crystalline oxide is not a semiconductor, the crystalline film further contains a dopant and thus the doping may vary the absorption wavelength or form optical crystal.

The dopant includes n-type dopants, such as tin, germanium, silicon, titanium, zirconium, vanadium, or niobium, and, in some embodiments, also p type dopants. The dopant may have a concentration in general approximately from <NUM>×<NUM><NUM>/cm<NUM> to <NUM>×<NUM><NUM>/cm<NUM>. When the concentration of the dopant is a low concentration of, for example, approximately <NUM>×<NUM><NUM>/cm<NUM> or less and, for example, an n type dopant is used, it is possible to make an n- type semiconductor or the like. In another example, according to the present invention, when the dopant is contained in a high concentration of approximately <NUM>×<NUM><NUM>/cm<NUM> or more and, for example, an n type dopant is used, it is possible to make an n+ type semiconductor or the like. In the present invention, the n type dopant is preferably tin, germanium, silicon, titanium, zirconium, vanadium, or niobium, and more preferably tin, germanium, or silicon. To form an n- type semiconductor layer, the concentration of the n type dopant in the crystalline film is preferably approximately from <NUM>×<NUM><NUM> to <NUM>×<NUM><NUM>/cm<NUM> and more preferably approximately from <NUM>×<NUM><NUM> to <NUM>×<NUM><NUM>/cm<NUM>. To form an n+ type semiconductor layer, the concentration of the n type dopant in the crystalline film is preferably a concentration of approximately <NUM>×<NUM><NUM>/cm<NUM> or more and more preferably approximately from <NUM>×<NUM><NUM>/cm<NUM> to <NUM>×<NUM><NUM>/cm<NUM>. As just described, the dopant may be contained in the crystalline film to obtain a crystalline film with excellent electrical characteristics.

The crystalline film is formed directly on the crystal substrate or, in embodiments not forming part of the claimed invention, may be formed with another layer therebetween. Examples of such another layer include a corundum structured crystal thin film of another composition, a crystal thin film with other than a corundum structure, or an amorphous thin film. The crystalline film may have a single layer structure or a multilayer structure. An identical layer may include two or more crystalline phases. Having a multilayer structure, the crystalline film is configured by laminating, for example, an insulating thin film and a conductive thin film, while the film in the present invention is not limited to this. When a multilayer structure is configured by laminating an insulating thin film and a conductive thin film, the insulating thin film and the conductive thin film may have the same composition or composition different from each other. The thickness ratio of the conductive thin film to the insulating thin film is not particularly limited. The ratio of (thickness of conductive thin film) / (thickness of insulating thin film) is, for example, preferably from <NUM> to <NUM> and more preferably from <NUM> to <NUM>. Such a more preferred ratio may be specifically, for example, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, and <NUM> or may be ranged between any two of the numbers listed here as examples.

In the present invention, the crystalline film is formed by mist epitaxy directly on the crystal substrate or, in embodiments not forming part of the claimed invention, with another layer therebetween.

The mist epitaxy is not particularly limited as long as the film formation method includes: (<NUM>) atomizing a raw-material solution into a mist; (<NUM>) supplying a carrier gas to the mist to carry the mist onto a crystal substrate by the carrier gas; and (<NUM>) causing the mist to thermally react to form a crystalline film of a crystalline oxide on all or part of a surface of the substrate. More specific examples of the mist epitaxy include mist CVD.

In (<NUM>) above, a mist is generated by atomizing a raw-material solution. For (<NUM>), a mist generator may be used to generate a mist by atomizing a raw-material solution. The mist generator is not particularly limited as long as it is capable of generating a mist by atomizing a raw-material solution. The mist generator may be a known one, and in the present invention, a mist is preferably generated by atomizing a raw material using ultrasonic waves. The raw-material solution is described later.

In (<NUM>) above, a carrier gas is supplied to the mist and the mist is carried onto the crystal substrate by the carrier gas. The carrier gas is not particularly limited as long as it is in a gaseous state and capable of carrying the mist, generated by atomizing the raw-material solution, onto the crystal substrate. The carrier gas is not particularly limited, and examples of the carrier gas include inert gases, such as an oxygen gas, a nitrogen gas, and an argon gas, and reducing gases, such as a forming gas and a hydrogen gas.

In (<NUM>) above, the mist is caused to thermally react to form a crystalline film on all or part of a surface of the substrate. In (<NUM>), a tube furnace may be preferably used that is capable of forming a film in a supply pipe by carrying the mist onto the crystal substrate by the carrier gas. The reaction temperature is not particularly limited as long as it is a temperature allowing a thermal reaction of the raw-material solution. In the present invention, a thermal reaction is preferably carried out at a temperature from <NUM> to <NUM> and more preferably from <NUM> to <NUM>.

In the present invention, as a susceptor for film formation in the supply pipe in (<NUM>), susceptors illustrated in, for example, <FIG> or <FIG> are preferably used.

<FIG> illustrate an embodiment of the susceptor. A susceptor <NUM> illustrated in <FIG> is provided with a mist accelerator <NUM>, a substrate holder <NUM>, and a support unit <NUM>. The support unit <NUM> is in a rod shape and configured to have a contact angle of the support unit <NUM> with a supply pipe <NUM> of approximately <NUM>° by changing the angle of the unit at some point. Although such configuration improves the stability of the susceptor <NUM>, the shape of the support unit <NUM> in the present invention is not particularly limited and various shapes may be applied as appropriate.

<FIG> illustrates a cross section inside the supply pipe toward the substrate in the direction from upstream to downstream of the mist. It is seen from the drawing that a substrate-side surface of the supply pipe has an outer circumference in a semicircular shape, which is a shape approximately identical to an inner circumference of the supply pipe. <FIG> illustrates cross sections of the supply pipe, the crystal substrate, and the susceptor taking the upstream of the mist on the left and the downstream on the right. Although the mist is prone to precipitate in the supply pipe due to its properties, a susceptor <NUM> is configured to have an inclined mist accelerator <NUM> to raise the precipitated mist by acceleration, thereby delivering the mist onto a crystal substrate <NUM>.

<FIG> illustrates, in the supply pipe <NUM>, a region for the susceptor and the substrate illustrated in <FIG> as a substrate-susceptor region <NUM> and a region to exhaust unreacted mist as an exhaust region <NUM>, showing the relationship between a total area of the susceptor and the crystal substrate and an area of the exhaust region. In the present invention, as illustrated in <FIG>, in the cross section inside the supply pipe divided into a susceptor region occupied by the susceptor, a region for the substrate, and the exhaust region to exhaust unreacted mist, the total area of the susceptor region and the crystal substrate is preferably greater than the area of the exhaust region. Use of such a preferred susceptor enables acceleration of the mist on the crystal substrate to obtain a more homogeneous and thicker crystalline film.

In the present invention, for the crystalline film formation, a dopant is used to perform doping. In the present invention, doping is preferably performed by incorporating an abnormal grain inhibitor into the raw-material solution. The doping by incorporating an abnormal grain inhibitor into the raw-material solution enables production of a crystalline film excellent in surface smoothness. The amount of doping is not particularly limited as long as the objects of the present invention are not impaired, and preferably at a molar ratio from <NUM>% to <NUM>% in the raw material and more preferably from <NUM>% to <NUM>%.

The abnormal grain inhibitor means to have an effect of inhibiting by-product particles in the film formation process. The inhibitor is not particularly limited as long as the crystalline film has a surface roughness (Ra) of, for example, <NUM> or less. In the present invention, the abnormal grain inhibitor is preferably made from at least one selected from Br, I, F, and Cl. For stable film formation, introduction of Br or I in the film as the abnormal grain inhibitor enables inhibition of deterioration of the surface roughness due to abnormal grain growth. Although the amount of the abnormal grain inhibitor is not particularly limited as long as abnormal grains are inhibited, the amount is preferably <NUM>% or less at a volume ratio in the raw-material solution, more preferably <NUM>% or less, and most preferably in a range from <NUM>% to <NUM>%. Use of the abnormal grain inhibitor in such a preferred range enables its function as an abnormal grain inhibitor, and the abnormal grain in the crystalline film is thus inhibited to smooth the surface.

A method of forming a crystalline film is not particularly limited as long as the objects of the present invention are not impaired. The film may be formed by reaction of a raw material containing a gallium compound. This enables crystal growth of the crystalline film from the substrate side. The gallium compound may be a product using gallium metal as starting material to be changed into a gallium compound immediately before film formation. Examples of the gallium compound include organic metal complexes (e.g., acetylacetonato complex, etc.), halides (e.g., fluoride, chloride, bromide, iodide, etc.), or the like of gallium, and in the present invention, a halide (e.g., fluoride, chloride, bromide, iodide, etc.) is preferably used. Film formation by mist CVD using a halide as the raw-material compound enables substantial exclusion of carbon from the crystalline film.

More specifically, the crystalline film may be formed by supplying raw material fine particles generated from a raw-material solution in which a raw-material compound is dissolved to a film formation chamber and causing the raw-material compound to thermally react in the film formation chamber using the susceptor. The solvent of the raw-material solution is not particularly limited to, but is preferably water, a hydrogen peroxide solution, or an organic solvent. In the present invention, the raw-material compound is usually caused to react in the presence of a dopant raw material. The dopant raw material is preferably incorporated in the raw-material solution to be atomized together with or separately from the raw-material compound. The amount of carbon contained in the crystalline film is thus less than that in the dopant, and preferably carbon is not substantially contained in the crystalline film. The crystalline film of the present invention also preferably contains halogen (preferably Br) to exhibit good semiconductor properties. Examples of the dopant raw material include simple substances of metal, such as tin, germanium, silicon, titanium, zirconium, vanadium, and niobium, compounds thereof (e.g., halides, oxides, etc.), or the like.

Film formation as above enables industrially advantageous production of a crystalline film with excellent crystallinity. Formation of the crystalline film on the crystal substrate by the preferred method allows a center line average roughness (Ra) of a film surface of the crystalline film to be <NUM> or less and a maximum difference in elevation (P-V value) of the film surface to be <NUM> or less, measured using an atomic force microscope. In the present invention, the film thickness of <NUM> or more, preferably <NUM> or more, are formed without impairing the crystallinity by appropriately adjusting film formation time.

In the present invention, annealing may be performed after film formation. The temperature for annealing is not particularly limited to, but is preferably <NUM> or less, more preferably from <NUM> to <NUM>, and most preferably from <NUM> to <NUM>. Annealing at such a preferred temperature more preferably enables adjustment of the carrier concentration in the crystalline film. Although the annealing time is not particularly limited as long as the objects of the present invention are not impaired, the time is preferably from <NUM> seconds to <NUM> hours and more preferably from <NUM> seconds to <NUM> hour.

The crystalline semiconductor film may be used for a semiconductor device directly or by applying further process, such as machining, as desired. When a multilayer structure containing the crystalline semiconductor film is used for a semiconductor device, the multilayer structure may be directly used for the semiconductor device or may be used by further forming another layer (e.g., insulating layer, semi-insulating layer, semiconductor layer, buffer layer, intermediate layer, etc.) or the like.

The semiconductor device of the present invention can be various semiconductor devices and is particularly useful for power devices. Semiconductor devices may be classified into lateral elements (lateral devices) having electrodes formed on one side of the semiconductor layer and vertical elements (vertical devices) having electrodes respectively on both sides of front and rear of the semiconductor layer. In the present invention, the semiconductor device is preferably a lateral device or a vertical device. Examples of the semiconductor device include a Schottky barrier diode (SBD), a metal semiconductor field effect transistor (MESFET), a high electron mobility transistor (HEMT), a metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistor (MOSFET), a static induction transistor (SIT), a junction field effect transistor (JFET), an insulated gate bipolar transistor (IGBT), a light emitting diode, or the like. In the present invention, the semiconductor device is preferably an SBD, a MOSFET, an SIT, a JFET, or an IGBT and more preferably an SBD, a MOSFET, or an SIT. In the present invention, the semiconductor device may exclude a p type semiconductor layer.

The following descriptions are given to preferred examples of a crystalline semiconductor film with the semiconductor structure applied to an n type semiconductor layer (n+ type semiconductor, n- type semiconductor, etc.) with reference to the drawings while the present invention is not limited to these examples. As long as the objects of the present invention are not impaired, the semiconductor devices listed below may contain still another layer (e.g., insulating layer, semi-insulating layer, conductor layer, semiconductor layer, buffer layer, intermediate layer, etc.) and also a buffer layer may be omitted appropriately.

<FIG> illustrates an example of a Schottky barrier diode (SBD) according to the present invention. The SBD in <FIG> is provided with an n- type semiconductor layer 101a, an n+ type semiconductor layer 101b, a Schottky electrode 105a, and an ohmic electrode 105b.

Materials for the Schottky electrode and the ohmic electrode may be known electrode materials. Examples of such an electrode material include metal, such as Al, Mo, Co, Zr, Sn, Nb, Fe, Cr, Ta, Ti, Au, Pt, V, Mn, Ni, Cu, Hf, W, Ir, Zn, In, Pd, Nd, and Ag, and alloys thereof, metal oxide conductive films, such as tin oxide, zinc oxide, indium oxide, indium tin oxide (ITO), and indium zinc oxide (IZO), organic conductive compounds, such as polyaniline, polythiophene, and polypyrrole, and mixtures thereof, or the like.

The Schottky electrode and the ohmic electrode may be formed by known means, such as vacuum deposition and sputtering, for example. More specifically, the Schottky electrode may be formed by, for example, laminating a layer of Mo and a layer of Al and patterning the layer of Mo and the layer of Al using a photolithography technique.

When reverse bias is applied to the SBD in <FIG>, a depletion layer, not shown, expands in the n- type semiconductor layer 101a to make a high voltage SBD. When forward bias is applied, electrons flow from the ohmic electrode 105b to the Schottky electrode 105a. The SBD thus using the semiconductor structure is excellent for high voltage and high current applications, achieves high switching speed, and excellent in withstand voltage and reliability.

<FIG> illustrates another example of a Schottky barrier diode (SBD) according to the present invention. In addition to the configuration of the SBD in <FIG>, the SBD in <FIG> is further provided with an insulating layer <NUM>. More specifically, this SBD is provided with an n- type semiconductor layer 101a, an n+ type semiconductor layer 101b, a Schottky electrode 105a, an ohmic electrode 105b, and an insulating layer <NUM>.

Examples of a material for the insulating layer <NUM> include GaO, AlGaO, InAlGaO, AlInZnGaO<NUM>, AlN, Hf<NUM>O<NUM>, SiN, SiON, Al<NUM>O<NUM>, MgO, GdO, SiO<NUM>, Si<NUM>N<NUM>, or the like. In the present invention, the material preferably has a corundum structure. Use of a corundum structured insulator for the insulating layer enables good development of the functions of semiconductor properties at the interface. The insulating layer <NUM> is provided between the n- type semiconductor layer 101a and the Schottky electrode 105a. The insulating layer may be formed by known means, such as sputtering, vacuum deposition, and CVD, for example.

Formation, materials, and the like for the Schottky electrode and the ohmic electrode are same as those in the case of the SBD in <FIG> above. The electrodes may be formed by known means, such as sputtering, vacuum deposition, compression bonding, and CVD, for example, and made from metal, such as Al, Mo, Co, Zr, Sn, Nb, Fe, Cr, Ta, Ti, Au, Pt, V, Mn, Ni, Cu, Hf, W, Ir, Zn, In, Pd, Nd, and Ag, and alloys thereof, metal oxide conductive films, such as tin oxide, zinc oxide, indium oxide, indium tin oxide (ITO), and indium zinc oxide (IZO), organic conductive compounds, such as polyaniline, polythiophene, and polypyrrole, and mixtures thereof, or the like.

The SBD in <FIG> has, compared with the SBD in <FIG>, even more excellent in insulating properties and higher current controllability.

<FIG> illustrates still another SBD example of a Schottky barrier diode (SBD) according to the present invention. The SBD in <FIG> is greatly different from the configuration of the SBDs in <FIG> and <FIG> in the points of having a trench structure and including a semi-insulating layer <NUM>. The SBD in <FIG> is provided with an n- type semiconductor layer 101a, an n+ type semiconductor layer 101b, a Schottky electrode 105a, an ohmic electrode 105b, and the semi-insulating layer <NUM>. This SBD is capable of great reduction in leakage current and great reduction in on resistance while maintaining the withstand voltage.

The semi-insulating layer <NUM> may be configured with a semi-insulator. Examples of the semi-insulator include those containing a semi-insulator dopant, such as magnesium (Mg), ruthenium (Ru), iron (Fe), beryllium (Be), cesium (Cs), strontium, and barium, those undoped, or the like.

<FIG> illustrates an example of a metal semiconductor field effect transistor (MESFET) according to the present invention. The MESFET in <FIG> is provided with an n- type semiconductor layer 111a, an n+ type semiconductor layer 111b, a buffer layer <NUM>, a semi-insulating layer <NUM>, a gate electrode 115a, a source electrode 115b, and a drain electrode 115c.

Materials for the gate electrode, the drain electrode, and the source electrode may be known electrode materials. Examples of the electrode materials include metal, such as Al, Mo, Co, Zr, Sn, Nb, Fe, Cr, Ta, Ti, Au, Pt, V, Mn, Ni, Cu, Hf, W, Ir, Zn, In, Pd, Nd, and Ag, and alloys thereof, metal oxide conductive films, such as tin oxide, zinc oxide, indium oxide, indium tin oxide (ITO), and indium zinc oxide (IZO), organic conductive compounds, such as polyaniline, polythiophene, and polypyrrole, and mixtures thereof, or the like. The gate electrode, the drain electrode, and the source electrode may be formed by known means, such as vacuum deposition and sputtering, for example.

In the MESFET in <FIG>, a good depletion layer is formed under the gate electrode, and the current flowing from the drain electrode to the source electrode is thus efficiently controlled.

<FIG> illustrates an example of a high electron mobility transistor (HEMT) according to the present invention. The HEMT in <FIG> is provided with an n type semiconductor layer 121a with a wide band gap, an n type semiconductor layer 121b with a narrow band gap, an n+ type semiconductor layer 121c, a semi-insulating layer <NUM>, a buffer layer <NUM>, a gate electrode 125a, a source electrode 125b, and a drain electrode 125c.

Materials for the gate electrode, the drain electrode, and the source electrode may be respective known electrode materials. Examples of the electrode materials include metal, such as Al, Mo, Co, Zr, Sn, Nb, Fe, Cr, Ta, Ti, Au, Pt, V, Mn, Ni, Cu, Hf, W, Ir, Zn, In, Pd, Nd, and Ag, and alloys thereof, metal oxide conductive films, such as tin oxide, zinc oxide, indium oxide, indium tin oxide (ITO), and indium zinc oxide (IZO), organic conductive compounds, such as polyaniline, polythiophene, and polypyrrole, and mixtures thereof, or the like. The gate electrode, the drain electrode, and the source electrode may be formed by known means, such as vacuum deposition and sputtering, for example.

The n type semiconductor layers under the gate electrode are configured at least with the layer121a with a wide band gap and the layer121b with a narrow band gap and the semi-insulating layer <NUM> is configured with a semi-insulator. Examples of the semi-insulator include those containing a semi-insulator dopant, such as ruthenium (Ru) and iron (Fe), those undoped, or the like.

In the HEMT in <FIG>, a good depletion layer is formed under the gate electrode, and the current flowing from the drain electrode to the source electrode is thus efficiently controlled. Further, in the present invention, formation of a recess structure enables normally-off characteristics.

<FIG> illustrates an example of a MOSFET as the semiconductor device of the present invention. The MOSFET in <FIG> is a trench MOSFET and provided with an n- type semiconductor layer 131a, n+ type semiconductor layers 131b and 131c, a gate insulating film <NUM>, a gate electrode 135a, a source electrode 135b, and a drain electrode 135c.

On the drain electrode 135c, the n+ type semiconductor layer 131b having a thickness, for example, from <NUM> to <NUM> is formed. On the n+ type semiconductor layer 131b, the n- type semiconductor layer 131a having a thickness, for example, from <NUM> to <NUM> is formed. Further, on the n- type semiconductor layer 131a, the n+ type semiconductor layer 131c is formed. On the n+ type semiconductor layer 131c, the source electrode 135b is formed.

In the n- type semiconductor layer 131a and the n+ type semiconductor layer 131c, a plurality of trench grooves are formed that has a depth reaching at some point of the n- type semiconductor layer 131a penetrating through the n+ semiconductor layer 131c. The gate electrode 135a is formed embedded in the trench grooves via the gate insulating film <NUM> having a thickness, for example, from <NUM> to <NUM>.

In an on state of the MOSFET in <FIG>, when a voltage is applied between the source electrode 135b and the drain electrode 135c to give a voltage, positive to the source electrode 135b, to the gate electrode 135a, channel layers are formed on the sides of the n- type semiconductor layer 131a and the electrons are injected into the n- type semiconductor layer 131a to be turned on. In an off state, the voltage of the gate electrode is made <NUM> V, thereby no longer producing the channel layers. The n- type semiconductor layer 131a is then filled with a depletion layer to be turned off.

<FIG> illustrate part of a procedure of manufacturing the MOSFET in <FIG>. For example, using a semiconductor structure as illustrated in <FIG>, an etching mask is provided in a predetermined region of the n- type semiconductor layer 131a and the n+ type semiconductor layer 131c. Using the etching mask as a mask, anisotropic etching is further performed by reactive ion etching or the like to form, as illustrated in <FIG>, trench grooves with a depth from the surface of the n+ type semiconductor layer 131c to some point of the n- type semiconductor layer 131a. Then, as illustrated in <FIG>, the gate insulating film <NUM> with a thickness, for example, from <NUM> to <NUM> is formed on the sides and the bottom of the trench grooves using known means, such as thermal oxidation, vacuum deposition, sputtering, and CVD. Then, using CVD, vacuum deposition, sputtering, or the like, a gate electrode material, such as polysilicon, for example, is formed on the trench grooves with a thickness equal to or less than that of the n- type semiconductor layer 131a.

Then, using known means, such as vacuum deposition, sputtering, and CVD, the source electrode 135b is formed on the n+ type semiconductor layer 131c and the drain electrode 135c is formed on the n+ type semiconductor layer 131b to manufacture a power MOSFET. Electrode materials for the source electrode and the drain electrode may be respective known electrode materials, and examples of the electrode materials include metal, such as Al, Mo, Co, Zr, Sn, Nb, Fe, Cr, Ta, Ti, Au, Pt, V, Mn, Ni, Cu, Hf, W, Ir, Zn, In, Pd, Nd, and Ag, and alloys thereof, metal oxide conductive films, such as tin oxide, zinc oxide, indium oxide, indium tin oxide (ITO), and indium zinc oxide (IZO), organic conductive compounds, such as polyaniline, polythiophene, and polypyrrole, and mixtures thereof, or the like.

The MOSFET thus obtained is even more excellent in withstand voltage compared with conventional trench MOSFETs. Although <FIG> illustrates the example of the trench vertical MOSFET, the present invention is not limited to this and is applicable to various forms of MOSFET. For example, the trench grooves in <FIG> may be formed deeper down to the bottom of the n- type semiconductor layer 131a to reduce series resistance.

<FIG> illustrates an example of a lateral MOSFET. The MOSFET in <FIG> is provided with an n- type semiconductor layer 131a, a first n+ type semiconductor layer 131b, a second n+ type semiconductor layer 131c, a gate insulating film <NUM>, a gate electrode 135a, a source electrode 135b, a drain electrode 135c, a buffer layer <NUM>, and a semi-insulating layer <NUM>. As illustrated in <FIG>, the n+ type semiconductor layers are embedded in the n- type semiconductor layer to enable better flow of a current compared with that in other lateral MOSFETs.

<FIG> illustrates an example of an SIT as the semiconductor device of the present invention. The SIT in <FIG> is provided with an n- type semiconductor layer 141a, n+ type semiconductor layers 141b and 141c, gate electrodes 145a, source electrodes 145b, and a drain electrode 145c.

On the drain electrode 145c, the n+ type semiconductor layer 141b having a thickness, for example, from <NUM> to <NUM> is formed. On the n+ type semiconductor layer 141b, the n- type semiconductor layer 141a having a thickness, for example, from <NUM> to <NUM> is formed. Further, on the n- type semiconductor layer 141a, the n+ type semiconductor layer 141c is formed. On the n+ type semiconductor layer 141c, the source electrodes 145b are formed.

In the n- type semiconductor layer 141a, a plurality of trench grooves are formed that has a depth reaching at some point of the n-semiconductor layer 141a penetrating through the n+ semiconductor layer 141c. On the n- type semiconductor layer in the trench grooves, the gate electrodes 145a are formed.

In an on state of the SIT in <FIG>, when a voltage is applied between the source electrodes 145b and the drain electrode 145c to give a voltage, positive to the source electrodes 145b, to the gate electrodes 145a, a channel layer is formed in the n- type semiconductor layer 141a and the electrons are injected into the n- type semiconductor layer 141a to be turned on. In an off state, the voltage of the gate electrodes is made <NUM> V, thereby no longer producing the channel layer. The n- type semiconductor layer 141a is then filled with a depletion layer to be turned off.

The SIT illustrated in <FIG> may be manufactured by known means. For example, using the semiconductor structure illustrated in <FIG>, in the same manner as the procedure of manufacturing an MOSFET in <FIG> A to 7C above, an etching mask is provided in a predetermined region of the n- type semiconductor layer 141a and the n+ type semiconductor layer 141c. Using the etching mask as a mask, anisotropic etching is performed by, for example, reactive ion etching or the like to form trench grooves with a depth from the surface of the n+ type semiconductor layer 141c to some point of the n- type semiconductor layer. Then, by CVD, vacuum deposition, sputtering, or the like, a gate electrode material, such as polysilicon, for example, is formed on the trench grooves with a thickness equal to or less than that of the n- type semiconductor layer 141a. Then, using known means, such as vacuum deposition, sputtering, and CVD, the source electrodes 145b are formed on the n+ type semiconductor layer 141c and the drain electrode 145c is formed on the n+ type semiconductor layer 141b to manufacture the SIT illustrated in <FIG>.

Electrode materials for the source electrodes and the drain electrode may be respective known electrode materials, and examples of the electrode materials include metal, such as Al, Mo, Co, Zr, Sn, Nb, Fe, Cr, Ta, Ti, Au, Pt, V, Mn, Ni, Cu, Hf, W, Ir, Zn, In, Pd, Nd, and Ag, and alloys thereof, metal oxide conductive films, such as tin oxide, zinc oxide, indium oxide, indium tin oxide (ITO), and indium zinc oxide (IZO), organic conductive compounds, such as polyaniline, polythiophene, and polypyrrole, and mixtures thereof, or the like.

Although a p type semiconductor is not used in the above example, the present invention is not limited to such an example and a p type semiconductor may be used in addition. <FIG> illustrate examples of using a p type semiconductor. These semiconductor devices may be manufactured in the manner same as that in the above examples. The p type semiconductor may be of the same material as that for the n type semiconductor but containing a p type dopant, or may be different from that.

<FIG> illustrates a preferred example of a Schottky barrier diode (SBD) provided with an n- type semiconductor layer 101a, an n+ type semiconductor layer 101b, a p type semiconductor layer <NUM>, an insulating layer <NUM>, a Schottky electrode 105a, and an ohmic electrode 105b.

<FIG> illustrates a preferred example of a trench Schottky barrier diode (SBD) provided with an n- type semiconductor layer 101a, an n+ type semiconductor layer 101b, a p type semiconductor layer <NUM>, a Schottky electrode 105a, and an ohmic electrode 105b. Such a trench SBD enables great reduction in the leakage current and great reduction in the on resistance while maintaining the withstand voltage.

<FIG> illustrates a preferred example of a high electron mobility transistor (HEMT) provided with an n type semiconductor layer 121a with a wide band gap, an n type semiconductor layer 121b with a narrow band gap, an n+ type semiconductor layer 121c, a p type semiconductor layer <NUM>, a gate electrode 125a, a source electrode 125b, a drain electrode 125c, and a substrate <NUM>.

<FIG> illustrates a preferred example of a metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistor (MOSFET) provided with an n- type semiconductor layer 131a, a first n+ type semiconductor layer 131b, a second n+ type semiconductor layer 131c, a p type semiconductor layer <NUM>, a p+ type semiconductor layer 132a, a gate insulating film <NUM>, a gate electrode 135a, a source electrode 135b, and a drain electrode 135c. The p+ type semiconductor layer 132a may be a p type semiconductor layer and may be same as the p type semiconductor layer <NUM>.

<FIG> illustrates a preferred example of a junction field effect transistor (JFET) provided with an n- type semiconductor layer 141a, a first n+ type semiconductor layer 141b, a second n+ type semiconductor layer 141c, a p type semiconductor layer <NUM>, gate electrodes 145a, source electrodes 145b, and the drain electrode 145c.

<FIG> illustrates a preferred example of an insulated gate bipolar transistor (IGBT) provided with an n type semiconductor layer <NUM>, an n-type semiconductor layer 151a, an n+ type semiconductor layer 151b, a p type semiconductor layer <NUM>, a gate insulating film <NUM>, a gate electrode 155a, emitter electrodes 155b, and a collector electrode 155c.

<FIG> illustrates an example of a light emitting diode (LED) as the semiconductor device of the present invention. The semiconductor light emitting device in <FIG> is provided with an n type semiconductor layer <NUM> on a second electrode 165b, and on the n type semiconductor layer <NUM>, a light emitting layer <NUM> is laminated. Then, on the light emitting layer <NUM>, a p type semiconductor layer <NUM> is laminated. On the p type semiconductor layer <NUM>, a translucent electrode <NUM> is provided that transmits light produced by the light emitting layer <NUM>. On the translucent electrode <NUM>, a first electrode 165a is laminated. The semiconductor light emitting device in <FIG> may be covered with a protective layer except for the electrode portions.

Examples of the material for the translucent electrode include conductive materials of oxide containing indium (In) or titanium (Ti) or the like. More specific examples include In<NUM>O<NUM>, ZnO, SnO<NUM>, Ga<NUM>O<NUM>, TiO<NUM>, and CeO<NUM>, mixed crystal of two or more of them, those doped by them, or the like. Such a material is provided by known means, such as sputtering, to form a translucent electrode. After forming the translucent electrode, thermal annealing may be applied to make the translucent electrode transparent.

According to the semiconductor light emitting device in <FIG>, where the first electrode 165a is a cathode and the second electrode 165b is an anode, a flow of current via both of them to the p type semiconductor layer <NUM>, the light emitting layer <NUM>, and the n type semiconductor layer <NUM> causes the light emitting layer <NUM> to emit light.

Examples of the materials for the first electrode 165a and the second electrode 165b include metal, such as Al, Mo, Co, Zr, Sn, Nb, Fe, Cr, Ta, Ti, Au, Pt, V, Mn, Ni, Cu, Hf, W, Ir, Zn, In, Pd, Nd, and Ag, and alloys thereof, metal oxide conductive films, such as tin oxide, zinc oxide, indium oxide, indium tin oxide (ITO), and indium zinc oxide (IZO), organic conductive compounds, such as polyaniline, polythiophene, and polypyrrole, and mixtures thereof, or the like. A method of forming the electrodes is not particularly limited. The electrodes may be formed on the substrate in accordance with a method appropriately selected by considering suitability for the above material from printing process, wet process such as spraying and coating, physical process such as vacuum deposition, sputtering, and ion plating, chemical process such as CVD and plasma CVD, or the like.

<FIG> illustrates another embodiment of a light emitting device. In the light emitting device in <FIG>, an n type semiconductor layer <NUM> is laminated on a substrate <NUM>. A p type semiconductor layer <NUM>, a light emitting layer <NUM>, and part of the n type semiconductor layer <NUM> are notched to expose the n type semiconductor layer <NUM>. On part of the exposed surface of the semiconductor layer, the second electrode 165b is laminated.

Examples of the present invention are described below.

With reference to <FIG>, a mist CVD apparatus <NUM> used in the working Examples is described. The mist CVD apparatus <NUM> was provided with a susceptor <NUM> to place a substrate <NUM>, carrier gas supply means <NUM> to supply a carrier gas, a flow regulating valve <NUM> to regulate a flow rate of the carrier gas discharged from the carrier gas supply means <NUM>, a mist generator <NUM> to store a raw-material solution 24a, water 25a, an ultrasonic vibration transducer <NUM> mounted at a bottom of the container <NUM>, a supply pipe <NUM> of a quartz pipe with an inner diameter of <NUM>, and a heater <NUM> placed surrounding the supply pipe <NUM>. The susceptor <NUM> was made from quartz and had a surface to place the substrate <NUM> inclined from the horizontal plane. Both the supply pipe <NUM> and the susceptor <NUM> made from quartz inhibit mixing of impurities derived from the apparatus into the film formed on the substrate <NUM>.

As the susceptor <NUM>, the susceptor <NUM> illustrated in <FIG> was used. The susceptor had a tilt angle of <NUM>°, and the susceptor was configured to have a total area of the substrate and the susceptor in the supply pipe that, as illustrated in <FIG>, gradually increased the susceptor region and gradually decreased the exhaust region. As illustrated in <FIG>, the susceptor region was configured to be greater than the exhaust region.

An aqueous solution of gallium bromide and germanium oxide was prepared at an atomic ratio of germanium to gallium of <NUM>:<NUM>. At this point, a <NUM>% hydrobromic acid solution was contained at a volume ratio of <NUM>%. In Condition <NUM>, the concentration of germanium oxide was <NUM>×<NUM>-<NUM> mol/L. The raw-material solution 24a was stored in the mist generator <NUM>. As the crystal substrate <NUM>, a c-plane sapphire substrate with an off angle of <NUM>° (<NUM> square with a thickness of <NUM>) was used.

On the susceptor <NUM>, the crystal substrate <NUM> was placed. The heater <NUM> was activated to raise a temperature in the supply pipe <NUM> to <NUM>. The flow regulating valve <NUM> was then opened to supply a carrier gas from the carrier gas source <NUM> into the supply pipe <NUM>. After the carrier gas sufficiently substituted for the atmosphere in the supply pipe <NUM>, the flow rate of the carrier gas was regulated at <NUM>/min. As the carrier gas, an oxygen gas was used.

The ultrasonic vibration transducer <NUM> was then vibrated at <NUM>. The vibration propagated through the water 25a to the raw-material solution 24a, thereby atomizing the raw-material solution 24a to produce raw material fine particles.

The raw material fine particles were introduced to the supply pipe <NUM> by the carrier gas to be reacted in the supply pipe <NUM>. A film was laminated on the crystal substrate <NUM> by the CVD reaction on the film formation surface of the crystal substrate <NUM> to produce a multilayer structure.

The crystalline film thus obtained was clean crystal without cloudiness. A phase of the crystalline film thus obtained was identified. The identification was carried out by 2θ /ω scanning at an angle from <NUM> to <NUM> degrees using an XRD diffractometer. The measurement was performed using CuK α rays. As a result, the film thus obtained was α-Ga<NUM>O<NUM>. The crystalline semiconductor film thus obtained had a film thickness of <NUM>.

For evaluation of the electrical characteristics of the film thus obtained, the Hall effect was measured by the van der pauw method. The measurement environment was at room temperature and a frequency of the applied magnetic field at <NUM>. As a result, the mobility was <NUM> (cm<NUM>/V•s).

A multilayer structure was obtained in the same manner as in Example <NUM> other than using a c-plane sapphire substrate with an off angle of <NUM>° as the crystal substrate.

The crystalline film thus obtained was clean crystal without cloudiness. A phase of the crystalline film thus obtained was identified in the same manner as in Example <NUM> to find out that the film thus obtained was α-Ga<NUM>O<NUM>. The Hall effect was measured in the same manner as in Example <NUM> to find out that the mobility was <NUM> (cm<NUM>/V•s).

A multilayer structure was obtained in the same manner as in Example <NUM> other than using a c-plane sapphire substrate with an off angle of <NUM>° as the crystal substrate and changing the film formation temperature to <NUM>.

A multilayer structure was obtained in the same manner as in Example <NUM> other than using a c-plane sapphire substrate having an off angle of <NUM>° as the crystal substrate and changing the film formation temperature to <NUM>.

The crystalline film thus obtained was clean crystal without cloudiness. A phase of the crystalline film thus obtained in the same manner as in Example <NUM> was identified to find out that the film thus obtained was α-Ga<NUM>O<NUM>. The Hall effect was measured in the same manner as in Example <NUM> to find out that the mobility was <NUM> (cm<NUM>/V•s).

A multilayer structure was obtained in the same manner as in Example <NUM> other than using a c-plane sapphire substrate having an off angle of <NUM>° as the crystal substrate.

A multilayer structure was obtained in the same manner as in Example <NUM> other than using a c-plane sapphire substrate as the crystal substrate without an off angle and changing the film formation temperature to <NUM>.

The crystalline film thus obtained was partially cloudy. However, a phase of the crystalline film thus obtained was identified in the same manner as in Example <NUM> to find out that the film thus obtained was α-Ga<NUM>O<NUM>. The Hall effect was measured in the same manner as in Example <NUM> to find out that the mobility was unmeasurable.

The crystalline film thus obtained was cloudy. However, a phase of the crystalline film thus obtained was identified in the same manner as in Example <NUM> to find out that the film thus obtained was α-Ga<NUM>O<NUM>. The Hall effect was measured in the same manner as in Example <NUM> to find out that the mobility was unmeasurable.

A multilayer structure was obtained in the same manner as in Comparative Example <NUM> other than changing the film formation temperature to <NUM>.

A multilayer structure was obtained in the same manner as in Example <NUM>. The crystalline film thus obtained was observed on the surface using AFM. The result of observation is illustrated in <FIG> as an AFM image. The center line average roughness was <NUM>×<NUM>-<NUM> nm and the maximum difference in elevation (P-V value) was <NUM>×<NUM>-<NUM> nm. A multilayer structure was prepared again in the same manner as above to measure the Ra and the PV value on the crystalline film surface using AFM. As a result, the center line average roughness was <NUM>×<NUM>-<NUM> nm and the maximum difference in elevation (P-V value) was <NUM>. From these results, it was found that the crystalline film of the present invention was excellent in surface smoothness.

A multilayer structure was obtained in the same manner as in Example <NUM> other than using gallium acetylacetonato (<NUM> mol/L) instead of gallium bromide, using stannous chloride dihydrate instead of germanium oxide at an atomic ratio of tin to gallium of <NUM>:<NUM>, using <NUM>% hydrochloric acid instead of the48% hydrobromic acid solution at a volume ratio of <NUM>%, using a nitrogen gas (<NUM>/min. ) as a first carrier gas and a nitrogen gas (<NUM>/min. ) as a second carrier gas instead of oxygen as the carrier gas, changing the film formation temperature to <NUM>, and changing the film formation time to <NUM> hours. A phase of the crystalline film thus obtained was identified to find out that the film thus obtained was α-Ga<NUM>O<NUM>. The Hall effect was measured in the same manner as in Example <NUM> to find out that the mobility was <NUM> (cm<NUM>/V•s).

A multilayer structure was obtained in the same manner as in Example <NUM> other than using an m-plane sapphire substrate with an off angle of <NUM>° as the crystal substrate. The crystalline film thus obtained was clean crystal without cloudiness. A phase of the crystalline film thus obtained was identified in the same manner as in Example <NUM> to find out that the film thus obtained was α-Ga<NUM>O<NUM>.

A multilayer structure was obtained in the same manner as in Example <NUM> other than using an m-plane sapphire substrate without an off angle as the crystal substrate. The crystalline film thus obtained was cloudy. However, a phase of the crystalline film thus obtained was identified in the same manner as in Example <NUM> to find out that the film thus obtained was α-Ga<NUM>O<NUM>.

A multilayer structure was obtained in the same manner as in Example <NUM> other than using an a-plane sapphire substrate with an off angle of <NUM>° as the crystal substrate. The crystalline film thus obtained was clean crystal without cloudiness. A phase of the crystalline film thus obtained was identified in the same manner as in Example <NUM> to find out that the film thus obtained was α-Ga<NUM>O<NUM>.

A multilayer structure was obtained in the same manner as in Example <NUM> other than using an a-plane sapphire substrate without an off angle as the crystal substrate. The crystalline film thus obtained was cloudy. However, a phase of the crystalline film thus obtained was identified in the same manner as in Example <NUM> to find out that the film thus obtained was α-Ga<NUM>O<NUM>.

A multilayer structure was obtained in the same manner as in Example <NUM> other than using an r-plane sapphire substrate with an off angle as the crystal substrate. The crystalline film thus obtained was clean crystal without cloudiness. A phase of the crystalline film thus obtained was identified in the same manner as in Example <NUM> to find out that the film thus obtained was α-Ga<NUM>O<NUM>.

A multilayer structure was obtained in the same manner as in Example <NUM> other than using an r-plane sapphire substrate without an off angle as the crystal substrate. The crystalline film thus obtained was cloudy. However, a phase of the crystalline film thus obtained was identified in the same manner as in Example <NUM> to find out that the film thus obtained was α-Ga<NUM>O<NUM>.

A multilayer structure was obtained in the same manner as in Example <NUM> other than using a c-plane sapphire substrate having an off angle of <NUM>° as the crystal substrate, changing the film formation temperature to <NUM>, and changing the film formation time to <NUM> minutes.

The crystalline film thus obtained was clean crystal without cloudiness. A phase of the crystalline film thus obtained was identified in the same manner as in Example <NUM> to find out that the film thus obtained was α-Ga<NUM>O<NUM>. A surface of the crystalline film thus obtained was subjected to AFM measurement. The result is illustrated in <FIG>.

Claim 1:
A semiconductor device, comprising:
a crystalline semiconductor film (101a, 101b); and
an electrode (105a, 105b);
wherein the crystalline semiconductor film (101a, 101b) is a corundum structured Ga<NUM>O<NUM> film, and
the crystalline semiconductor film (101a, 101b) contains an n-type dopant,
characterized in that
the crystalline semiconductor film (101a, 101b) is obtained by epitaxial growth on a c-plane, m-plane, a-plane, or r-plane sapphire substrate having an off angle from <NUM>° to <NUM>°,
the crystalline semiconductor film (101a, 101b) has the same off angle, and
a thickness of the crystalline semiconductor film (101a, 101b) is <NUM> or more.