I-Corps: Improvements in III-Nitride Materials and Devices through Superatmospheric Epitaxy

University Of North Carolina At Charlotte, Charlotte NC

Investigators

Abstract

The purpose of the project is to further develop a technology and methodology in "high pressure" metal organic chemical vapor deposition (HP-MOCVD). This involves a method and technology for high-pressure epitaxial growth of semiconductor crystalline epitaxial layers. The HP-MOCVD reactor was designed with computational fluid dynamics to minimize parasitic gas phase reactions and resulting device-killing particulates. The proposed effort will facilitate availability of new high quality HP-MOCVD semiconductor materials that have applications in optoelectronic devices, in particular, the "deep green" light emitting diodes (LEDs). These LEDs have emission wavelengths near the peak of human eye response and may allow for full color control in future generations of solid state lighting If successfully developed this project may enable the transition of new HP-MOCVD technology more rapidly into widespread use, accelerating availability of advanced materials and devices to manufacturers and the general population. The HP-MOCVD technology may lead to a fabrication process of III-nitride materials with fewer numbers of crystalline defects. III-nitride materials are used for a wide variety of electronic and optoelectronic devices including LEDs, laser diodes, and high mobility heterostructure field - effect transistors for high-frequency applications and Schottky diodes with high-breakdown field for power electronics. Devices developed using this technology also have the potential to form more energy-efficient lighting and electric power management.