Abstract: The present invention discloses a new testing method of group III-nitride wafers. By utilizing the ammonothermal method, GaN or other Group III-nitride wafers can be obtained by slicing the bulk GaN ingots. Since these wafers originate from the same ingot, these wafers have similar properties/qualities. Therefore, properties of wafers sliced from an ingot can be estimated from measurement data obtained from selected number of wafers sliced from the same ingot or an ingot before slicing. These estimated properties can be used for product certificate of untested wafers. This scheme can reduce a significant amount of time, labor and cost related to quality control.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
December 27, 2012
Date of Patent:
November 19, 2013
Assignee:
Sixpoint Materials, Inc.
Inventors:
Tadao Hashimoto, Masanori Ikari, Edward Letts
Abstract: The present invention discloses a new testing method of group III-nitride wafers. By utilizing the ammonothermal method, GaN or other Group III-nitride wafers can be obtained by slicing the bulk GaN ingots. Since these wafers originate from the same ingot, these wafers have similar properties/qualities. Therefore, properties of wafers sliced from an ingot can be estimated from measurement data obtained from selected number of wafers sliced from the same ingot or an ingot before slicing. These estimated properties can be used for product certificate of untested wafers. This scheme can reduce a significant amount of time, labor and cost related to quality control.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
December 27, 2012
Date of Patent:
October 15, 2013
Assignee:
SixPoint Materials, Inc.
Inventors:
Tadao Hashimoto, Masanori Ikari, Edward Letts
Abstract: Present invention discloses a high-pressure vessel of large size formed with a limited size of e.g. Ni—Cr based precipitation hardenable superalloy. Vessel may have multiple zones. For instance, the high-pressure vessel may be divided into at least three regions with flow-restricting devices and the crystallization region is set higher temperature than other regions. This structure helps to reliably seal both ends of the high-pressure vessel, at the same time, may help to greatly reduce unfavorable precipitation of group III nitride at the bottom of the vessel. Invention also discloses novel procedures to grow crystals with improved purity, transparency and structural quality. Alkali metal-containing mineralizers are charged with minimum exposure to oxygen and moisture until the high-pressure vessel is filled with ammonia. Several methods to reduce oxygen contamination during the process steps are presented.
Abstract: Present invention discloses a high-pressure vessel of large size formed with a limited size of e.g. Ni—Cr based precipitation hardenable superalloy. Vessel may have multiple zones. For instance, the high-pressure vessel may be divided into at least three regions with flow-restricting devices and the crystallization region is set higher temperature than other regions. This structure helps to reliably seal both ends of the high-pressure vessel, at the same time, may help to greatly reduce unfavorable precipitation of group III nitride at the bottom of the vessel. Invention also discloses novel procedures to grow crystals with improved purity, transparency and structural quality. Alkali metal-containing mineralizers are charged with minimum exposure to oxygen and moisture until the high-pressure vessel is filled with ammonia. Several methods to reduce oxygen contamination during the process steps are presented.
Abstract: The present invention discloses a new testing method of group III-nitride wafers. By utilizing the ammonothermal method, GaN or other Group III-nitride wafers can be obtained by slicing the bulk GaN ingots. Since these wafers originate from the same ingot, these wafers have similar properties/qualities. Therefore, properties of wafers sliced from an ingot can be estimated from measurement data obtained from selected number of wafers sliced from the same ingot or an ingot before slicing. These estimated properties can be used for product certificate of untested wafers. This scheme can reduce a significant amount of time, labor and cost related to quality control.
Abstract: The present invention discloses a new testing method of group III-nitride wafers. By utilizing the ammonothermal method, GaN or other Group III-nitride wafers can be obtained by slicing the bulk GaN ingots. Since these wafers originate from the same ingot, these wafers have similar properties/qualities. Therefore, properties of wafers sliced from an ingot can be estimated from measurement data obtained from selected number of wafers sliced from the same ingot or an ingot before slicing. These estimated properties can be used for product certificate of untested wafers. This scheme can reduce a significant amount of time, labor and cost related to quality control.
Abstract: The present invention discloses a high-pressure vessel of large size formed with a limited size of e.g. Ni—Cr based precipitation hardenable superalloy. Vessel may have multiple zones. For instance, the high-pressure vessel may be divided into at least three regions with flow-restricting devices and the crystallization region is set higher temperature than other regions. This structure helps to reliably seal both ends of the high-pressure vessel, at the same time, may help to greatly reduce unfavorable precipitation of group III nitride at the bottom of the vessel. Invention also discloses novel procedures to grow crystals with improved purity, transparency and structural quality. Alkali metal-containing mineralizers are charged with minimum exposure to oxygen and moisture until the high-pressure vessel is filled with ammonia. Several methods to reduce oxygen contamination during the process steps are presented.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
June 7, 2012
Date of Patent:
April 16, 2013
Assignee:
Sixpoint Materials, Inc.
Inventors:
Tadao Hashimoto, Edward Letts, Masanori Ikari
Abstract: The present invention discloses a new testing method of group III-nitride wafers. By utilizing the ammonothermal method, GaN or other Group III-nitride wafers can be obtained by slicing the bulk GaN ingots. Since these wafers originate from the same ingot, these wafers have similar properties/qualities. Therefore, properties of wafers sliced from an ingot can be estimated from measurement data obtained from selected number of wafers sliced from the same ingot or an ingot before slicing. These estimated properties can be used for product certificate of untested wafers. This scheme can reduce a significant amount of time, labor and cost related to quality control.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
June 12, 2009
Date of Patent:
January 22, 2013
Assignee:
Sixpoint Materials, Inc.
Inventors:
Tadao Hashimoto, Masanori Ikari, Edward Letts
Abstract: The present invention discloses a new construction of ultracapacitor utilizing particles of transition metal nitride having negligible amount of halide impurities. The construction is expected to attain high specific energy density by using transition metal nitride particles and higher reliability by avoiding potential corrosion of metal components with halide impurities. The transition metal nitride particles are preferably synthesized by basic ammonothermal process, which utilizes supercritical ammonia with alkali metal mineralizers. Transition metal nitride such as vanadium nitride, molybdenum nitride, titanium nitride, nickel nitride, neodymium nitride, iron nitride, etc. can be synthesized in supercritical ammonia with reducing mineralizers such as potassium, sodium, lithium, magnesium, calcium, and aluminum. Since supercritical ammonia has characteristics of both gas and liquid, it can over complicated fine structure or fine particles.
Abstract: The present invention discloses a method of synthesizing transition metal nitride by using supercritical ammonia. Transition metal nitride such as vanadium nitride, molybdenum nitride, titanium nitride, nickel nitride, neodymium nitride, iron nitride, etc. can be synthesized in supercritical ammonia with reducing mineralizers such as potassium, sodium, lithium, magnesium, calcium, and aluminum. Since supercritical ammonia has characteristics of both gas and liquid, it can over complicated fine structure or fine particles. The new method is suitable for forming a protective coating on complicated structure or forming micro- to nano-sized particles.
Abstract: Present invention discloses a high-pressure vessel of large size formed with a limited size of e.g. Ni—Cr based precipitation hardenable superalloy. Vessel may have multiple zones. For instance, the high-pressure vessel may be divided into at least three regions with flow-restricting devices and the crystallization region is set higher temperature than other regions. This structure helps to reliably seal both ends of the high-pressure vessel, at the same time, may help to greatly reduce unfavorable precipitation of group III nitride at the bottom of the vessel. Invention also discloses novel procedures to grow crystals with improved purity, transparency and structural quality. Alkali metal-containing mineralizers are charged with minimum exposure to oxygen and moisture until the high-pressure vessel is filled with ammonia. Several methods to reduce oxygen contamination during the process steps are presented.
Type:
Application
Filed:
June 7, 2012
Publication date:
December 6, 2012
Applicant:
SIXPOINT MATERIALS, INC.
Inventors:
Tadao HASHIMOTO, Edward LETTS, Masanori IKARI
Abstract: The present invention discloses a high-pressure vessel of large size formed with a limited size of e.g. Ni—Cr based precipitation hardenable superalloy. The vessel may have multiple zones. For instance, the high-pressure vessel may be divided into at least three regions with flow-restricting devices and the crystallization region is set higher temperature than other regions. This structure helps to reliably seal both ends of the high-pressure vessel, and at the same time, may help to greatly reduce unfavorable precipitation of group III nitride at the bottom of the vessel. This invention also discloses novel procedures to grow crystals with improved purity, transparency and structural quality. Alkali metal-containing mineralizers are charged with minimum exposure to oxygen and moisture until the high-pressure vessel is filled with ammonia. Several methods to reduce oxygen contamination during the process steps are presented.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
June 4, 2009
Date of Patent:
August 7, 2012
Assignee:
Sixpoint Materials, Inc.
Inventors:
Tadao Hashimoto, Edward Letts, Masanori Ikari
Abstract: The present invention in one preferred embodiment discloses a new design of HVPE reactor, which can grow gallium nitride for more than one day without interruption. To avoid clogging in the exhaust system, a second reactor chamber is added after a main reactor where GaN is produced. The second reactor chamber may be configured to enhance ammonium chloride formation, and the powder may be collected efficiently in it. To avoid ammonium chloride formation in the main reactor, the connection between the main reactor and the second reaction chamber can be maintained at elevated temperature. In addition, the second reactor chamber may have two or more exhaust lines. If one exhaust line becomes clogged with powder, the valve for an alternative exhaust line may open and the valve for the clogged line may be closed to avoid overpressuring the system. The quartz-made main reactor may have e.g. a pyrolytic boron nitride liner to collect polycrystalline gallium nitride efficiently.
Abstract: The present invention discloses methods to produce large quantities of polycrystalline GaN for use in the ammonothermal growth of group III-nitride material. High production rates of GaN can be produced in a hydride vapor phase growth system. One drawback to enhanced polycrystalline growth is the increased incorporation of impurities, such as oxygen. A new reactor design using non-oxide material that reduces impurity concentrations is disclosed. Purification of remaining source material after an ammonothermal growth is also disclosed. The methods described produce sufficient quantities of polycrystalline GaN source material for the ammonothermal growth of group III-nitride material.
Type:
Application
Filed:
November 23, 2009
Publication date:
May 27, 2010
Applicant:
Sixpoint Materials, Inc.
Inventors:
Edward Letts, Tadao Hashimoto, Masanori Ikari