A method, for manufacturing a silicon carbide semiconductor device, includes: forming a silicon carbide epitaxial film on a silicon carbide substrate; flattening a surface of the epitaxial film by using chemical mechanical polishing such that the surface of the epitaxial film has an arithmetic mean roughness Ra of 0.3 nm or less; thermally oxidizing the surface of the epitaxial film to form a sacrificial oxide; removing the sacrificial oxide; and cleaning, by using deionized water, a surface of the epitaxial film exposed by the removing of the sacrificial oxide.

A method, for manufacturing a silicon carbide semiconductor device, includes: forming a silicon carbide epitaxial film on a silicon carbide substrate; flattening a surface of the epitaxial film by using chemical mechanical polishing such that the surface of the epitaxial film has an arithmetic mean roughness Ra of 0.3 nm or less; thermally oxidizing the surface of the epitaxial film to form a sacrificial oxide; removing the sacrificial oxide; and cleaning, by using deionized water, a surface of the epitaxial film exposed by the removing of the sacrificial oxide.

In an embodiment, a method includes treating an edge region of a wafer including a substrate having an upper surface and one or more epitaxial Group III nitride layers arranged on the upper surface of the substrate, so as to remove material including at least one Group III element from the edge region.

In an embodiment, a method includes treating an edge region of a wafer including a substrate having an upper surface and one or more epitaxial Group III nitride layers arranged on the upper surface of the substrate, so as to remove material including at least one Group III element from the edge region.

A seed crystal layer is provided on a supporting body. A laser light is irradiated from a side of the supporting body to provide an altered portion along an interface between the supporting body and seed crystal layer. The altered layer is composed of a nitride of a group 13 element and has a portion into which dislocation defects are introduced or an amorphous portion.

A seed crystal layer is provided on a supporting body. A laser light is irradiated from a side of the supporting body to provide an altered portion along an interface between the supporting body and seed crystal layer. The altered layer is composed of a nitride of a group 13 element and has a portion into which dislocation defects are introduced or an amorphous portion.

Embodiments relate to use of a particle accelerator beam to form thin films of material from a bulk substrate. In particular embodiments, a bulk substrate (e.g. donor substrate) having a top surface is exposed to a beam of accelerated particles. In certain embodiments, this bulk substrate may comprise GaN; in other embodiments this bulk substrate may comprise Si, SiC, or other materials. Then, a thin film or wafer of material is separated from the bulk substrate by performing a controlled cleaving process along a cleave region formed by particles implanted from the beam. In certain embodiments this separated material is incorporated directly into an optoelectronic device, for example a GaN film cleaved from GaN bulk material. In some embodiments, this separated material may be employed as a template for further growth of semiconductor materials (e.g. GaN) that are useful for optoelectronic devices.

Embodiments relate to use of a particle accelerator beam to form thin films of material from a bulk substrate. In particular embodiments, a bulk substrate (e.g. donor substrate) having a top surface is exposed to a beam of accelerated particles. In certain embodiments, this bulk substrate may comprise GaN; in other embodiments this bulk substrate may comprise Si, SiC, or other materials. Then, a thin film or wafer of material is separated from the bulk substrate by performing a controlled cleaving process along a cleave region formed by particles implanted from the beam. In certain embodiments this separated material is incorporated directly into an optoelectronic device, for example a GaN film cleaved from GaN bulk material. In some embodiments, this separated material may be employed as a template for further growth of semiconductor materials (e.g. GaN) that are useful for optoelectronic devices.

An apparatus for producing an SiC substrate, by which an SiC substrate having a thin base substrate layer is able to be produced, while suppressing deformation or breakage, includes a main container which is capable of containing an SiC base substrate, and which produces a vapor pressure of a vapor-phase species containing elemental Si and a vapor-phase species containing elemental C within the internal space by means of heating; and a heating furnace which contains the main container and heats the main container so as to form a temperature gradient, while producing a vapor pressure of a vapor-phase species containing elemental Si within the internal space. The main container has a growth space in which a growth layer is formed on one surface of the SiC base substrate, and an etching space in which the other surface of the SiC base substrate is etched.

An apparatus for producing an SiC substrate, by which an SiC substrate having a thin base substrate layer is able to be produced, while suppressing deformation or breakage, includes a main container which is capable of containing an SiC base substrate, and which produces a vapor pressure of a vapor-phase species containing elemental Si and a vapor-phase species containing elemental C within the internal space by means of heating; and a heating furnace which contains the main container and heats the main container so as to form a temperature gradient, while producing a vapor pressure of a vapor-phase species containing elemental Si within the internal space. The main container has a growth space in which a growth layer is formed on one surface of the SiC base substrate, and an etching space in which the other surface of the SiC base substrate is etched.