HIGH PRESSURE HIGH TEMPERATURE GROWTH OF CRYSTALLINE GROUP III METAL NITRIDES

• Main Authors: MARK, PHILIP D'EVELYN, ZHENG CHEN, SURESH, SHANKARAPPA VAGARALI, DONG-SIL PARK, STEVEN, WILLIAM WEBB, YAVUZ KADIOGLU
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 13.10.2003
• Edition: 7
• Subjects: AFTER-TREATMENT OF SINGLE CRYSTALS OR A HOMOGENEOUSPOLYCRYSTALLINE MATERIAL WITH DEFINED STRUCTURE; APPARATUS THEREFOR; CHEMISTRY; CRYSTAL GROWTH; METALLURGY; PRODUCTION OF A HOMOGENEOUS POLYCRYSTALLINE MATERIAL WITHDEFINED STRUCTURE; REFINING BY ZONE-MELTING OF MATERIAL; SINGLE CRYSTALS OR HOMOGENEOUS POLYCRYSTALLINE MATERIAL WITHDEFINED STRUCTURE; SINGLE-CRYSTAL-GROWTH; UNIDIRECTIONAL SOLIDIFICATION OF EUTECTIC MATERIAL ORUNIDIRECTIONAL DEMIXING OF EUTECTOID MATERIAL

An apparatus including a crucible, an energy source, and a controller is provided. The crucible may be sealed to a nitrogen-containing gas, and may be chemically inert to at least ammonia at a temperature in a range of about 400 degrees Celsius to about 2500 degrees Celsius. The energy source may supply thermal energy to the crucible. The controller may control the energy source to selectively direct sufficient thermal energy to a predefined first volume within the crucible to attain and maintain a temperature in the first volume to be in a range of from about 400 degrees Celsius to about 2500 degrees Celsius. The thermal energy may be sufficient to initiate, sustain, or both initiate and sustain growth of a crystal in the first volume. The first temperature in the first volume may be controllable separately from a second temperature in another volume within the crucible. The first temperature and the second temperature differ from each other. Associated methods are provided.