Nonpolar a-plane GaN grown on r-plane sapphire using multilayer AlN buffer by metalorganic chemical vapor deposition

Mirror-like and pit-free non-polar a-plane (1 1 −2 0) GaN films are grown on r-plane (1 −1 0 2) sapphire substrates using metalorganic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) with multilayer high-low-high temperature AlN buffer layers. The buffer layer structure and film quality are essential to the growth of a flat, crack-free and pit-free a-plane GaN film. The multilayer AlN buffer structure includes a thin low-temperature-deposited AlN (LT-AlN) layer inserted into the high-temperature-deposited AlN (HT-AlN) layer. The results demonstrate that the multilayer AlN buffer structure can improve the surface morphology of the upper a-plane GaN film. The grown multilayer AlN buffer structure reduced the tensile stress on the AlN buffer layers and increased the compressive stress on the a-plane GaN film. The multilayer AlN buffer structure markedly improves the surface morphology of the a-plane GaN film, as revealed by scanning electron microscopy. The effects of various growth V/III ratios was investigated to obtain a-plane GaN films with better surface morphology. The mean roughness of the surface was 1.02 nm, as revealed by atomic force microscopy. Accordingly, the multilayer AlN buffer structure improves the surface morphology and facilitates the complete coalescence of the a-plane GaN layer.     

Effects of Ⅴ/Ⅲ ratio on species diffusion anisotropy inthe MOCVD growth of non-polar a-plane GaN films

Non-polar a-plane (110) GaN films have been grown on r-plane (102) sapphire substrates by metal organic chemical vapour deposition. The influences of Ⅴ/Ⅲ ratio on the species diffusion anisotropy of a-plane GaN films were investigated by scanning electron microscopy, cathodoluminescence and high-resolution x-ray diffraction measurements. The anisotropy of a-plane GaN films may result from the different migration length of adatoms along two in-plane directions. Ⅴ/Ⅲ ratio has an effect on the growth rates of different facets and crystal quality. The stripe feature morphology was obviously observed in the film with a high V/III ratio because of the slow growth rate along the [100] direction. When the Ⅴ/Ⅲ ratio increased from 1000 to 6000, the in-plane crystal quality anisotropy was decreased due to the weakened predominance in migration length of gallium adatoms.     

GROWTH MODE AND SURFACE RECONSTRUCTION OF GaN(0001) THIN FILMS ON 6H-SiC(0001)

Two-dimensional growth of GaN thin films on an atomically flat C-face 6H-SiC(0001) surface prepared by ultra-high vacuum Si-etching is observed when using an AlN buffer layer in N plasma-assisted molecular beam epitaxy. Scanning tunneling microscopy and reflection high energy electron diffraction observations reveal a series of Ga-stabilized reconstructions which are consistent with those reported for an N-polar GaN(0001) film. The result, including the effect observed previously for GaN thin film on Si-terminated 6H-SiC(0001), agrees with the polarity assignment of heteroepitaxial wurtzite GaN films on polar 6H-SiC substrates, i.e., GaN film grown on SiC(0001) is <0001> oriented (N-face) while that on SiC(0001) is <0001> oriented (Ga-face).     

Effect of Ⅲ/Ⅴ Ratio of HT-AIN Buffer Layer on Polarity Selection and Electrical Quality of GaN Films Grown by Radio Frequency Molecular Beam Epitaxy

We investigate the effect of A/N ratio of the high temperature （HT） AIN buffer layer on polarity selection and electrical quality of GaN films grown by radio frequency molecular beam epitaxy. The results show that low Al/N ratio results in N-polarity GaN films and intermediate Al/N ratio leads to mixed-polarity GaN films with poor electrical quality. GaN films tend to grow with Ga polarity on Al-rich AIN buffer layers. GaN films with different polarities are confirmed by in-situ reflection high-energy electron diffraction during the growth process. Wet chemical etching, together with atomic force microscopy, also proves the polarity assignments. The optimum value for room-temperature Hall mobility of the Ga-polarity GaN film is 703cm^2/V.s, which is superior to the N-polarity and mixed-polarity GaN films.     

Smooth and oriented AlN thin films deposited by laser ablation and their application for SAW devices

Aluminum nitride films of up to 1.2 7m thickness were deposited by excimer laser ablation onto c-, r-, m-, and a-cut sapphire substrates. The films were found to be of (00.1), (11.0), (10.0) and (00.1) orientation on c-, r-, m- and a-cut sapphire substrates, respectively. XRD pole figure measurements showed good in-plane alignment of all three sample sets. AFM measurements reveal that all films were atomically smooth in the initial stages of growth. Furthermore, for AlN(11.0) on r-cut sapphire the film surface remained smooth, with an r.m.s. roughness of about 1 nm up to a film thickness of 1.2 7m. AlN films with the polar c-axis parallel to the film surface are particularly favourable for SAW device applications, since the c-axis direction yields the strongest coupling coefficient. A smooth surface, as for AlN(11.0), is essential to prevent scattering of propagating surface acoustic waves. A SAW r.f. filter was fabricated with interdigital transducers of 5.6 7m wavelength on top of a 1.2 7m AlN(11.0) film on r-cut sapphire. The resonance frequency of 1.068 GHz corresponds well to theoretical expectations for the SAW velocity in this propagation geometry.     

The dispersion properties of surface acoustic wave devices on AlN/LiNbO3 film/substrate structure

Highly c-axis oriented aluminum nitride (AlN) films were deposited on z-cut LiNbO₃ substrates by reactive rf magnetron sputtering. The crystalline properties investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD) revealed that AlN film with (0 0 2) preferred orientation was improved by an increase of the deposition time within the experimental range. However, the surface morphology of AlN film measured by scanning probe microscopy (SPM) showed that the roughness was getting worse with increase of deposition time. Surface acoustic wave (SAW) properties, measured by a network analyzer in the structure consisting of highly c-axis AlN films on z-cut LiNbO₃ substrates, were investigated. The phase velocity (V_P) was significantly increased by the increase of h/λ, where h is the thickness of AlN film and λ is the wavelength. However, the insertion loss (IL) of SAW filters was also increased by the increase of h/λ. Experimental results on the temperature characteristics of SAW devices are also presented.     

Effects of V/Ⅲ ratio on a-plane GaN epilayers with an InGaN interlayer

The effects of V/Ⅲgrowth flux ratio on a-plane GaN films grown on r-plane sapphire substrates with an InGaN interlayer are investigated.The surface morphology,crystalline quality,strain states,and density of basal stacking faults were found to depend heavily upon the V/Ⅲratio.With decreasing V/Ⅲratio,the surface morphology and crystal quality first improved and then deteriorated,and the density of the basal-plane stacking faults also first decreased and then increased.The optimal V/Ⅲratio growth condition for the best surface morphology and crystalline quality and the smallest basalplane stacking fault density of a-GaN films are found.We also found that the formation of basal-plane stacking faults is an effective way to release strain.     

Deposition of carbon films using close space sublimation

Carbon films are fabricated for the first time using an inexpensive and ecologically safe modified method of close space sublimation at atmospheric pressure. They are deposited onto quartz, glass, glass ceramic (Pyroceram), and silicon substrates. The main properties of the films (such as the growth rate, morphology and structure, optical properties, the dependences of these properties on the deposition temperature and the substrate material) are studied by X-ray diffraction, atomic force microscopy, multiangular ellipsometry, and the measurement of transmission and reflectance spectra in the visible and near ultraviolet regions. The growth rate is 5 nm/min at a film nucleation temperature of 800°C. The film thickness varies from 0.2 to 2.2 μm, and the minimum surface roughness is 0.5 nm. The refractive indices of the films range from 1.3 to 1.8 depending on the growth and subsequent heat treatment conditions. The optical energy gap is 5.4 eV.     

Morphological properties of AlN and GaN grown by MOVPE on porous Si(111) and Si(111) substrates

Metal Organic Vapour Phase Epitaxy (MOVPE) of AlN and GaN layers at a temperature of 1080 C were performed on porous Si(111) and Si(111) substrates. The thermal stability of porous silicon (PS) is studied versus growth time under AlN and GaN growth conditions. The surface morphology evolution of the annealed PS is revealed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Porous Si(111) with low porosity (40%) is more thermally stable than porous Si(100) with relatively high porosity (60%).AlN layers with various thicknesses were grown under the same conditions on the two substrates. Morphological properties of AlN were studied by atomic force microscopy (AFM) and compared taking into account the two different surfaces of the substrates. The two growth kinetics of AlN were found to be different due to the initial surface roughness of the PS substrate. The effect of AlN buffer morphology on the qualities of subsequent GaN layers is discussed. Morphological qualities of GaN layers grown on PS are improved compared to those obtained on porous Si(100) but are still less than those grown on Si substrate.     

Growth of InN layers by MOVPE using different substrates

This study presents the MOVPE growth of InN films onto different substrate materials, including sapphire, nitrided or not, GaN and AlN buffer layers deposited onto sapphire, and Si(111).For InN growth onto nitrided sapphire, different growth parameters were investigated in order to determine the best growth conditions. We found that a low V/III molar ratio has to be used in order to increase the growth rate. A light nitridation treatment gives the best electrical properties: mirror like layers with a mobility of 800 cm²/V  s were obtained. At room temperature, reflectivity experiments show the existence of a transition at 1.2 eV, while photoluminescence appears around 0.8 eV.Using the same growth conditions onto GaN buffers (with thicknesses ranging from 15 to 1000 Å), we found that the best mobilities are obtained above a given buffer thickness.By comparing also with AlN buffer layers and silicon substrates, we found that our previous conclusion still holds; lightly nitrided sapphire substrate leads to the best electrical properties and morphology.     

Fabrication of ZnO nanostructures of various dimensions using patterned substrates

ZnO nanostructures were grown on silicon, porous silicon, ZnO/Si and AlN/Si substrates by low-temperature aqueous synthesis method. The shape of nanostructures greatly depends on the underlying surface. Scattered ZnO nanorods were observed on silicon substrate, whereas aligned ZnO nanowires were obtained by introducing sputtered ZnO film as a seed layer. Furthermore, both the combination of nanorods and the bunch of nanowires were found on porous silicon substrates, whereas platelet-like morphology was observed on AlN/Si substrates. XRD patterns suggest the crystalline nature of aqueous-grown ZnO nanostructures and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy images confirm the single-crystalline growth of the ZnO nanorods along [0 0 1] direction. Room-temperature photoluminescence characterization clearly shows a band-edge luminescence along with a visible luminescence in the yellow spectral range.     

AlN缓冲层对Si基GaN外延薄膜性质的影响

采用金属有机化合物化学气相沉积（MOCVD）方法制备了不同AlN缓冲层厚度的GaN样品,研究了AlN缓冲层厚度对GaN外延层的应力、表面形貌和晶体质量的影响。研究结果表明：厚度为15 nm的AlN缓冲层不仅可以有效抑制Si扩散,而且还给GaN外延层提供了一个较大的压应力,避免GaN薄膜出现裂纹。在该厚度AlN缓冲层上制备的GaN薄膜表面光亮、无裂纹,受到的张应力为0.3 GPa,（0002）和（1012）面的高分辨X射线衍射摇摆曲线峰值半高宽分别为536 arcsec和594 arcsec,原子力显微镜测试得到表面粗糙度为0.2 nm。     

等离子增强原子层沉积低温生长AlN薄膜

采用等离子增强原子层沉积技术在单晶硅基体上成功制备了AlN晶态薄膜, 利用椭圆偏振仪、原子力显微镜、小角掠射X射线衍射仪、高分辨透射电子显微镜、 X射线光电子能谱仪对样品的生长速率、表面形貌、晶体结构、薄膜成分进行了表征和分析, 结果表明, 采用等离子增强原子层沉积制备AlN晶态薄膜的最低温度为200 ℃, 薄膜表面平整光滑, 具有六方纤锌矿结构与(100)择优取向, Al_2p与N_1S的特征峰分别为74.1 eV与397.0 eV, 薄膜中Al元素与N元素以Al-N键相结合, 且成分均匀性良好. 关键词： 氮化铝 等离子增强原子层沉积 低温生长 晶态薄膜     

Thickness optimization of Mo films for Cu（InGa）Se2 solar cell applications

Mo thin films are deposited on soda lime glass (SLG) substrates using DC magnetron sputtering. The Mo film thicknesses are varied from 0.08 μm to 1.5 μm to gain a better understanding of the growth process of the film. The residual stresses and the structural properties of these films are investigated, with attention paid particularly to the film thickness dependence of these properties. Residual stress decreases and yields a typical tensile-to-compressive stress transition with the increase of film thickness at the first stages of film growth. The stress tends to be stable with the further increase of film thickness. Using the Mo film with an optimum thickness of 1 μm as the back contact, the Cu(InGa)Se2 solar cell can reach a conversion efficiency of 13.15%.     

ZnO／AlN／Si（111）薄膜的外延生长和性能研究

用常压金属化学气相沉积法(MOCVD)在Si(111)衬底上制备了马赛克结构ZnO单晶薄膜。引入低温Al N缓冲层以阻止衬底氧化、缓解热失配和晶格失配。薄膜双晶X射线衍射2θ/ω联动扫描只出现了Si(111)、ZnO(000l)及Al N(000l)的衍射峰。ZnO/Al N/Si(111)薄膜C方向晶格常量为0.5195nm,表明在面方向处于张应力状态;其对称(0002)面和斜对称(1012)面的双晶X射线衍ω摇摆曲线半峰全宽分别为460″和1105″;干涉显微镜观察其表面有微裂纹,裂纹密度为20cm-1;3μm×3μm范围的原子力显微镜均方根粗糙度为1.5nm;激光实时监测曲线表明薄膜为准二维生长,生长速率4.3μm/h。低温10K光致发光光谱观察到了薄膜的自由激子、束缚激子发射及它们的声子伴线。所有结果表明,采用金属化学气相沉积法并引入Al N为缓冲层能有效提高Si(111)衬底上ZnO薄膜的质量。     

Molecular dynamics simulations of AlN deposition on GaN substrate

ABSTRACT

In this work, we investigated the deposition of AlN film on GaN substrate by using molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. The effects of GaN substrate surface, growth temperature, and injected N: Al flux ratio on the growth of AlN film were simulated and studied. Consequently, the deposited AlN film on the (0001) Ga-terminated GaN surface achieves better surface morphology and crystallinity than that on the (000-1) N-terminated GaN surface due to the different diffusion ability of Al and N adatoms on two GaN surfaces. Furthermore, with the increase of growth temperature, the surface morphology and crystallinity of AlN film were improved owing to the enhanced mobility of adatoms. At the optimised injected N: Al flux ratio of 1, comparatively good surface morphology and crystallinity of deposited AlN films were realised. This method lays a foundation for the follow-up real-time study of defects and stress evolution of AlN on GaN and can be applied to film growth of other materials.     

溶胶-凝胶SiO2酸性膜与碱性膜的激光损伤行为

 采用溶胶-凝胶技术分别在K9基片上镀制了光学厚度相近的单层SiO₂酸性膜和碱性膜。测试了两类薄膜的激光损伤阈值;分别采用透射式光热透镜技术、椭偏仪、原子力显微镜、扫描电镜和光学显微镜研究了两类薄膜的热吸收、孔隙率、微观表面形貌、激光辐照前薄膜的杂质和缺陷状况以及激光辐照后薄膜的损伤形貌。实验结果表明：相对于碱性膜,酸性膜有更大的热吸收和更小的孔隙率,因此其激光损伤阈值较小;两类薄膜不同的损伤形貌与薄膜的热吸收系数与微观结构有关。     

MOCVD生长Si衬底上HT-AlN缓冲层低生长压力对GaN薄膜的影响

采用金属有机化学气相沉积（MOCVD）技术在Si（111）衬底上外延GaN薄膜,对高温AlN（HT-AlN）缓冲层在小范围内低生长压力（6.7~16.6 kPa）条件下对GaN薄膜特性的影响进行了研究。研究结果表明GaN外延层的表面形貌、结构和光学性质对HT-AlN缓冲层的生长压力有很强的的依赖关系。增加HT-AlN缓冲层的生长压力,GaN薄膜的光学和形貌特性均有明显改善,当HT-AlN缓冲层的生长压力为13.3 kPa时,得到无裂纹的GaN薄膜,其（002）和（102）面的X射线衍射峰值半高宽分别为735 arcsec和778 arcsec,由拉曼光谱计算得到的张应力为0.437 GPa,原子力显微镜（AFM）观测到表面粗糙度为1.57 nm。     

c轴定向氮化铝薄膜的制备

利用电子回旋共振 (ECR)微波增强化学气相沉积法 (PECVD)并使用氮气 (N2 ) ,氩气 (Ar)和AlCl3蒸气作为气源在直径为 6 .35cm的 (10 0 )单晶硅片表面制备了c轴定向氮化铝 (AlN)薄膜 ,并使用X射线衍射仪及其X射线特征能谱和扫描电镜 (SEM)分析了薄膜特征 ,研究了微波功率、基板温度和N2 流量对薄膜c轴定向的影响 ,得到了c轴偏差角小于 5°的高质量大面积AlN薄膜。     

Influence of substrate temperature and ion-beam energy on the syntheses of aluminium nitride thin films by nitrogen-ion-assisted pulsed-laser deposition

Aluminium nitride (AlN) thin films have been grown on Si(100), Si(111) and Sapphire Al₂O₃(001) substrates by pulsed KrF excimer laser (wavelength 248 nm, duration 30 ns) ablation of an AlN target with the assistance of nitrogen-ion-beam bombardment. The influence of process parameters such as substrate temperature and ion-beam energy has been investigated in order to obtain high-quality AlN films. The AlN films deposited by pulsed-laser deposition (PLD) have been characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD) to determine the crystalline quality, grain size and growth orientation with respect to the substrate. The XRD spectra of AlN films on Si(100), Si(111) and Sapphire substrates yield full-width-half-maximum (FWHM) values of approximately 1.6. The bonding characteristics in the films have been evaluated by Raman spectroscopy. The chemical composition of the films has been characterized by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The surface morphology of the films has been measured by atomic force microscopy (AFM). At a substrate temperature of at least 600 °C, polycrystalline AlN films with orientations of AlN(100) and AlN(101) have been synthesized. PACS 68.55.-a; 81.15.Fg; 77.84.Bw