Abstract: Provided is a ZnO-based thin film which is doped with p-type impurities and which can be used for various devices. An MgxZn1-xO film (0?x?0.5) is formed on top of a substrate so as to have an acceptor concentration of a p-type dopant that is 5×1020 cm?3 or less. An acceptor concentration exceeding 5×1020 cm?3 results in the formation of a mixed crystal of the p-type impurities and the ZnO crystal as the base material. Accordingly, no high-quality ZnO-based thin film doped to be p-type can be obtained. This fact is testified by the change observed in the ZnO secondary ion intensity.

Abstract: Provided is a ZnO-based thin film for growing a flat film when the ZnO-based thin film is formed on a substrate. In FIG. 1(a), a ZnO-based film 2 is formed on a ZnO-based substrate 1. Meanwhile, in FIG. 1(b), a ZnO-based laminated body 10 that is a laminated body of ZnO-based thin films is formed on the ZnO-based substrate 1. The ZnO-based laminated body 10 is the laminated body in which multiple ZnO-based thin films including a ZnO-based thin film 3, a ZnO-based thin film 4 and the like are laminated. When forming the ZnO-based thin film 2 or the ZnO-based laminated body 10, the film or the body is formed at a growth temperature of 750° C. or above, or alternatively, a step structure on a surface of the film is formed into a predetermined structure such that roughness on the surface of the film is in a predetermined range.

Abstract: Provided are a ZnO-based substrate having a high-quality surface suitable for crystal growth, a method for processing the ZnO-based substrate, and a ZnO-based semiconductor device. The ZnO-based substrate is formed such that any one of a carboxyl group and a carbonate group is substantially absent in a principal surface on a crystal growth side. Also, in order for a carboxyl group or a carbonate group to be substantially absent, any one of oxygen radicals, oxygen plasma and ozone is brought into contact with the surface of the ZnO-based substrate before the crystal growth is started. Consequently, cleanness of the surface of the ZnO substrate is enhanced, thereby enabling fabrication of a high-quality ZnO-based thin film on the substrate.

Abstract: Provided are a ZnO-based thin film and a ZnO-based semiconductor device which allow: reduction in a burden on a manufacturing apparatus; improvement of controllability and reproducibility of doping; and obtaining p-type conduction without changing a crystalline structure. In order to be formed into a p-type ZnO-based thin film, a ZnO-based thin film is formed by employing as a basic structure a superlattice structure of a MgZnO/ZnO super lattice layer 3. This superlattice component is formed with a laminated structure which includes acceptor-doped MgZnO layers 3b and acceptor-doped ZnO layers 3a. Hence, it is possible to improve controllability and reproducibility of the doping, and to prevent a change in a crystalline structure due to a doping material.

Abstract: Provided are a ZnO-based thin film which is inhibited from being doped with an unintentional impurity, and a semiconductor device. The ZnO-based thin film has a main surface: which is formed of MgxZn1-xO (0?x<1) containing a p-type impurity; and which satisfies at least any one of the following conditions when the main surface is observed with an atomic force microscope: the density of observed hexagonal pits is not more than 5×106 pits/cm2; and no depressed portion, which includes multiple microcrystalline protrusions formed in the bottom portion of the depressed portion, is found in the main surface.

Abstract: Provided are a ZnO-based semiconductor capable of alleviating the self-compensation effect and of achieving easier conversion into p-type, and a ZnO-based semiconductor device. The ZnO-based semiconductor includes a nitrogen-doped MgXZn1-XO (0<X<1) crystalline material. The ZnO-based semiconductor is subjected to a photoluminescence measurement performed at an absolute temperature of 12 Kelvin, and thus a spectrum distribution curve is obtained. The ZnO-based semiconductor is formed so that a peak intensity of the distribution curve obtained at 3.3 eV or larger is stronger than a peak intensity of the distribution curve obtained at 2.7 eV or smaller. Consequently, the self-compensation effect can be reduced and the conversion into p-type becomes easier.

Abstract: Provided is a ZnO-based semiconductor device capable of growing a flat ZnO-based semiconductor layer on an MgZnO substrate having a main surface on the lamination side oriented in a c-axis direction. ZnO-based semiconductor layers 2 to 6 are epitaxially grown on an MgxZn1-xO (0?x<1) substrate 1 having a +C surface (0001), as a main surface, inclined at least in an m-axis direction. A p-electrode 8 is formed on the ZnO-based semiconductor layer 5, and an n-electrode 9 is formed on the underside of the MgxZn1-xO substrate 1. Thereby, steps regularly arranged in the m-axis direction can be formed on the surface of the MgxZn1-xO substrate 1, and a phenomenon called step bunching is prevented. Consequently, the flatness of a film of the semiconductor layers laminated on the substrate 1 can be improved.

Abstract: Provided are a ZnO-based substrate having a surface suitable for crystal growth, and a method of manufacturing the ZnO-based substrate. The ZnO-based substrate is made in a way that almost no hydroxide groups exist on a crystal growth-side surface of a MgxZn1-xO substrate (0?x<1). To this end, as a method of treating the substrate, a final treatment to be applied on the crystal growth-side surface of the MgxZn1-xO substrate (0?x<1) is acidic wet etching at pH 3 or lower. Thereby, it is possible to prevent production of a hydroxide of Zn, and to reduce the density of crystal defects in a thin film formed on the ZnO-based substrate.

Abstract: Provided are an oxide thin film doped with an n-type impurity, and an oxide thin film device. In an oxide thin film (2), as shown in FIG. 1(b), doped oxide layers (2a) doped with an n-type (electron-conductivity type) impurity and undoped oxide layers (2b) not doped with an n-type impurity are laminated in an alternating and repeated manner. When an oxide layer is doped with the n-type impurity at a high concentration, roughness of a surface of the oxide layer becomes large. For this reason, the doped oxide layers (2a) are covered with the undoped oxide layers (2b) capable of ensuring surface flatness, before surface roughness attributable to the doped oxide layers (2a) becomes very large. Thus, a flat oxide thin film can be formed.

Abstract: Provided are: a radical generating apparatus that increases a purity of emitted plasma atoms, prevents contamination with impurities, and is improved in controllability over ion concentration; and a ZnO-based thin film prevented from being contaminated with impurities. A high-frequency coil (4) is wound around an outer side of a discharging tube (10), and a terminal of the high-frequency coil (4) is connected to a high-frequency power source (9). The discharging tube (10) is constituted by a discharging cylinder (1), a lid (2) and a gas introducing bottom plate (3). Additionally, a support base (8) is provided, a support post (6) is arranged on the support base (8), and a shutter (5) is connected to the support post (6). With respect to shaded components, that is, the shutter (5), the lid (2), the discharging cylinder (1) and the gas introducing bottom plate (3), an entirety or a part thereof is formed of a silicon-based compound such as quartz.

Abstract: Provided is a ZnO-based semiconductor device capable of growing a flat ZnO-based semiconductor layer on an MgZnO substrate having a main surface on the lamination side oriented in a c-axis direction. ZnO-based semiconductor layers 2 to 6 are epitaxially grown on an MgxZn1-xO (0?x?1) substrate 1 having a +C surface (0001), as a main surface, inclined at least in an m-axis direction. A p-electrode 8 is formed on the ZnO-based semiconductor layer 5, and an n-electrode 9 is formed on the underside of the MgxZn1-xO substrate 1. Thereby, steps regularly arranged in the m-axis direction can be formed on the surface of the MgxZn1-xO substrate 1, and a phenomenon called step bunching is prevented. Consequently, the flatness of a film of the semiconductor layers laminated on the substrate 1 can be improved.

Abstract: Provided is an infrared reflector having the configuration in which a dielectric film, an Au (gold) film, and an oxide film are sequentially formed on a substrate. The infrared reflector with this configuration is used so that the oxide film would face a body to be heated. In addition, infrared light emitted from a heat source can be reflected and collected by a reflection metal of the Au film to the body to be heated. Moreover, since the dielectric film is formed on the substrate, it is possible to prevent Au from dispersing under high temperature and thus to prevent deterioration of the infrared reflector.

Abstract: A container of a material supply apparatus is configured of a crucible and an orifice. The crucible has a cylindrical shape, a rectangular-column shape or the like, and is hollow. Heat sources such as heaters are disposed around the crucible. The orifice including an opening is provided on a side of the crucible in a material element supplying direction. The orifice includes a pipe portion that extends in the material element supplying direction. The opening is formed on a tip of the pipe portion. An opening area of the pipe portion is formed to become gradually narrower towards the material element supplying side, namely in a direction of the opening.

Abstract: Provided is a multilayer substrate having the configuration in which a multilayer film is formed on a principal surface opposite to a principal surface in the oxide-thin-film lamination direction in a translucent substrate. The multilayer film is formed by sequentially laminating a dielectric film, Au (gold) film, and oxide film in this order from the translucent substrate. On the principal surface opposite to the principal surface on which the oxide thin film is disposed, the multilayer film containing the Au film is formed, the Au film can reflect and block the excessive infrared light from a substrate holder or a heat source at the time of growth. As a result, temperature can be accurately measured.