GaN基异质结缓冲层漏电分析

通过对GaN基异质结材料C-V特性中耗尽电容的比较,得出AlGaN/GaN异质结缓冲层漏电与成核层的关系.实验结果表明,基于蓝宝石衬底低温GaN成核层和SiC衬底高温AlN成核层的异质结材料比基于蓝宝石衬底低温AlN成核层异质结材料漏电小、背景载流子浓度低.深入分析发现,基于薄成核层的异质结材料在近衬底的GaN缓冲层中具有高浓度的n型GaN导电层,而基于厚成核层的异质结材料的GaN缓冲层则呈高阻特性.GaN缓冲层中的n型导电层是导致器件漏电主要因素之一,适当提高成核层的质量和厚度可有效降低GaN缓冲层的背景载流子浓度,提高GaN缓冲层的高阻特性,抑制缓冲层漏电. 关键词： AlGaN/GaN异质结 GaN缓冲层 漏电 成核层     

GaP layers grown on GaN with and without buffer layers

The growth of GaP layer on GaN with and without buffer layers by metal-organic chemical vapour deposition (MOCVD) has been studied. Results indicate that the GaP low temperature buffer layer can provide a high density of nucleation sites for high temperature (HT) GaP growth. These sites can promote the two-dimensional (2D) growth of HT GaP and reduce the surface roughness. A GaP single crystal layer grown at 680°C is obtained using a 40-nm thick GaP buffer layer. The full-width at half-maximum (FWHM) of the (111) plane of GaP layer, measured by DCXRD, is 560 arcsec. The GaP layer grown on GaN without low temperature GaP buffer layer shows a rougher surface. However, the FWHM of the (111) plane is 408 arcsec, which is the indication of better crystal quality for the GaP layer grown on GaN without a low temperature buffer layer. Because it provides less nucleation sites grown at high growth temperature, the three-dimensional (3D) growth is prolonged. The crystalline quality of GaP is lightly improved when the surface of GaN substrate is pretreated by PH3 , while it turned to be polycrystalline when the substrate is pretreated by TEGa.     

Heteroepitaxial GaN films on silicon substrates with porous buffer layers

New complex buffer layers based on a porous material have been developed for epitaxial growth of GaN films on Si substrates. The characteristics of gallium nitride heteroepitaxial layers grown on silicon substrates with new buffer layers by metal-organic vapor phase epitaxy are investigated. It is shown that the porous buffer layers improve the electric homogeneity and increase the photoluminescence intensity of epitaxial GaN films on Si substrates to the values comparable with those for reference GaN films on Al₂O₃ substrates. It is found that a fianite layer in a complex buffer is a barrier for silicon diffusion from the substrate into a GaN film.     

The influence of AlN/GaN superlattice intermediate layer on the properties of GaN grown on Si（111） substrates

AlN/GaN superlattice buffer is inserted between GaN epitaxial layer and Si substrate before epitaxial growth of GaN layer. High-quality and crack-free GaN epitaxial layers can be obtained by inserting AlN/GaN superlattice buffer layer. The influence of AlN/GaN superlattice buffer layer on the properties of GaN films are investigated in this paper. One of the important roles of the superlattice is to release tensile strain between Si substrate and epilayer. Raman spectra show a substantial decrease of in-plane tensile strain in GaN layers by using AlN/GaN superlattice buffer layer. Moreover, TEM cross-sectional images show that the densities of both screw and edge dislocations are significantly reduced. The GaN films grown on Si with the superlattice buffer also have better surface morphology and optical properties.     

Hydride vapor phase epitaxy growth of GaN on sapphire with ZnO buffer layers

The initial stages and subsequent growth of GaN on sapphire using ZnO buffer layers is reported for the hydride vapor phase epitaxy technique. A high gas-phase supersaturation in the growth ambient was used to favor a rapid initial growth on the substrate. A subsequent growth step was employed under conditions that favor a high lateral growth rate in order to promote the coalescence of the initial islands and provide optimal material properties. The specific gas-phase mole fractions of the GaCl and NH₃ at the growth front control both the vertical and lateral growth rates. The use of a two-step growth process in the GaN growth leads to a controlled morphology and improved material properties for GaN materials when grown with a ZnO buffer layer. An optimized set of growth conditions, utilizing this two-step process, was found to also improve the growth directly on sapphire without a ZnO buffer layer. Received: 8 November 2001 / Accepted: 14 November 2001 / Published online: 11 February 2002     

InGaN/GaN多量子阱的组分确定和晶格常数计算

采用金属有机化学气相沉积(MOCVD)技术以蓝宝石为衬底在n型GaN单晶层上生长了InGaN/GaN多量子阱结构外延薄膜，利用高分辨X射线衍射(HRXRD)，卢瑟福背散射/沟道(RBS/channeling)，以及光致发光(PL)技术对InGaN/GaN多量子阱结构薄膜分别进行了平均晶格常数计算、In原子替位率计算和In组分的定量分析.研究表明：InGaN/GaN多量子阱的水平和垂直方向平均晶格常数分别为a_epi=0.3195nm，c_epi=0.5198nm，In原子的替位率为99.3%，利用HRXRD和RBS/channeling两种分析技术计算In的组分分别是0.023和0.026，并与样品生长时设定的预期目标相符合，验证了两种实验方法的准确性；而用室温条件下的光致发光谱(PL)来计算InGaN/GaN多量子阱中In的组分是与HRXRD和RBS/channeling的实验结果相差很大，说明用PL测试In组分的方法是不适宜的. 关键词： InGaN/GaN多量子阱 高分辨X射线衍射 卢瑟福背散射/沟道 光致发光     

Luminescence of a GaN grain with a nonpolar and semipolar plane in relation to microstructural characterization

We report on the growth of the high-quality GaN grain on a r-plane sapphire substrate by using a self-organized SiN interlayer as a selective growth mask.Transmission electron microscopy,scanning electron microscopy,and Raman spectroscopy are used to reveal the effect of SiN on the overgrown a-plane GaN growth.The SiN layer effectively terminates the propagation of the threading dislocation and basal plane stacking faults during a-plane GaN regrowth through the interlayer,resulting in the window region shrinking from a rectangle to a "black hole".Furthermore,strong yellow luminescence(YL) in the nonpolar plane and very weak YL in the semipolar plane on the GaN grain is revealed by cathodoluminescence,suggesting that C-involved defects are responsible for the YL.     

Influence of AlN buffer layer thickness on structural properties of GaN epilayer grown on Si (111) substrate with AlGaN interlayer

We present the growth of GaN epilayer on Si (111) substrate with a single AlGaN interlayer sandwiched between the GaN epilayer and AlN buffer layer by using the metalorganic chemical vapour deposition. The influence of the AlN buffer layer thickness on structural properties of the GaN epilayer has been investigated by scanning electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy, optical microscopy and high-resolution x-ray diffraction. It is found that an AlN buffer layer with the appropriate thickness plays an important role in increasing compressive strain and improving crystal quality during the growth of AlGaN interlayer, which can introduce a more compressive strain into the subsequent grown GaN layer, and reduce the crack density and threading dislocation density in GaN film.     

Study of depth-dependent tetragonal distortion of quaternary AlInGaN epilayer by Rutherford backscattering/channeling

A 240-nm thick Al_0.4In_0.02Ga_0.58N layer is grown by metal organic chemical vapour deposition, with an over 1-μ m thick GaN layer used as a buffer layer on a substrate of sapphire (0001). Rutherford backscattering and channeling are used to characterize the microstructure of AlInGaN. The results show a good crystalline quality of AlInGaN (χ_min=1.5%) with GaN buffer layer. The channeling angular scan around an off-normal <12^{-13> axis in the {101-0} plane of the AlInGaN layer is used to determine tetragonal distortion e_T, which is caused by the elastic strain in the AlInGaN. The resulting AlInGaN is subjected to an elastic strain at interfacial layer, and the strain decreases gradually towards the near-surface layer. It is expected that an epitaxial AlInGaN thin film with a thickness of 850 nm will be fully relaxed (e_T = 0).}     

Effects of V/III ratio on the growth of a-plane GaN films

The non-polar a-plane GaN is grown on an r-plane sapphire substrate directly without a buffer layer by metal-organic chemical vapour deposition and the effects of V/III ratio growth conditions are investigated. Atomic force microscopy results show that triangular pits are formed at a relatively high V/III ratio, while a relatively low V/III ratio can enhance the lateral growth rate along the c-axis direction. The higher V/III ratio leads to a high density of pits in comparison with the lower V/III ratio. The surface morphology is improved greatly by using a low V/III ratio of 500 and the roughness mean square of the surface is only 3.9 nm. The high resolution X-ray diffraction characterized crystal structural results show that the rocking curve full width at half maximum along the m axis decreases from 0.757° to 0.720°, while along the c axis increases from 0.220° to 0.251° with the V/III increasing from 500 μmol/min to 2000 μmol/min, which indicates that a relatively low V/III ratio is conducible to the c-axis growth of a-plane GaN.     

High vertical breakdown strength in with low specific on‐resistance AlGaN/AlN/GaN HEMTs on silicon

Off‐state and vertical breakdown characteristics of AlGaN/AlN/GaN high‐electron‐mobility transistors (HEMTs) on high‐resistivity (HR)‐Si substrate were investigated and analysed. Three‐terminal off‐state breakdown (BV_gd) was measured as a function of gate–drain spacing (L_gd). The saturation of BV_gd with L_gd is because of increased gate leakage current. HEMTs with L_gd = 6 µm exhibited a specific on‐resistance R_DS[ON] of 0.45 mΩ cm². The figure of merit (FOM = BV_gd²/R_DS[ON]) is as high as 2.0 × 10⁸ V² Ω^–1 cm^–2, the highest among the reported values for GaN HEMTs on Si substrate. A vertical breakdown of ～1000 V was observed on 1.2 µm thick buffer GaN/AlN grown on Si substrate. The occurrence of high breakdown voltage is due to the high quality of GaN/AlN buffer layers on Si substrate with reduced threading dislocations which has been confirmed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). This indicates that the AlGaN/AlN/GaN HEMT with 1.2 µm thick GaN/AlN buffer on Si substrate is promising candidate for high‐power and high‐speed switching device applications. (© 2011 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

国产SiC衬底上利用AIN缓冲层生长高质量GaN外延薄膜

采用高温AlN作为缓冲层在国产SiC衬底上利用金属有机物化学气相外延技术生长GaN外延薄膜.通过优化AlN缓冲层的生长参数得到了高质量的GaN外延薄膜,其对称(0002)面和非对称(1012)面X射线衍射摇摆曲线的半峰宽分别达到130 arcsec和252 arcsec,这是目前报道的在国产SiC衬底上生长GaN最好的...     

Characterization of GaN/AlGaN epitaxial layers grown by metalorganic chemical vapour deposition for high electron mobility transistor applications

GaN and AlGaN epitaxial layers are grown by a metalorganic chemical vapour deposition (MOCVD) system. The crystalline quality of these epitaxially grown layers is studied by different characterization techniques. PL measurements indicate band edge emission peak at 363.8 nm and 312 nm for GaN and AlGaN layers respectively. High resolution XRD (HRXRD) peaks show FWHM of 272 and 296 arcsec for the (0 0 0 2) plane of GaN and GaN in GaN/AlGaN respectively. For GaN buffer layer, the Hall mobility is 346 cm²/V-s and carrier concentration is 4.5 × 10¹⁶/cm³. AFM studies on GaN buffer layer show a dislocation density of 2 × 10⁸/cm² by wet etching in hot phosphoric acid. The refractive indices of GaN buffer layer on sapphire at 633 nm are 2.3544 and 2.1515 for TE and TM modes respectively.     

Mechanism and kinetics of early growth stages of a GaN film

The growth of GaN islands on the substrate surface covered with an AlN buffer layer is theoretically investigated at the stages of nucleation and Ostwald ripening in the temperature range 480–1000°C. The following inferences are made from analyzing the results obtained. (1) At temperatures T>650°C, the growth of islands is controlled by the chemical reaction of formation of GaN molecules around the periphery of the island surface. Islands nucleated at these temperatures are characterized by a large spread in their sizes. (2) At temperatures T<600°C, the island growth is governed by the surface diffusion of nitrogen atoms. Islands nucleated at these temperatures are virtually identical in size. (3) In the temperature range 600–650°C, the mechanism of island growth gradually changes over from the mechanism associated with the surface diffusion of nitrogen atoms with a large mean free path to the mechanism determined by the diffusion of gallium atoms with a smaller mean free path. The supersaturation, flux, and size distribution functions of GaN nuclei are calculated at different substrate temperatures. The phase diagrams describing the evolution in the phase composition of GaN islands with variations in temperature are constructed.     

Relation between interdiffusion and polarity for MBE growth of GaN epilayers on ZnO substrates

We report on GaN growth on Zn-polar ZnO substrates using plasma-assisted molecular-beam epitaxy (P-MBE). Before GaN growth, ZnO substrate annealing conditions were optimized. Reflection high-energy electron diffraction (RHEED) patterns after low-temperature GaN buffer layer annealing changed from streaky to spotty, suggesting that zinc and oxygen atoms interdiffuse from the ZnO substrate into the GaN epilayer. This interdiffusion results in a mix-polar GaN epilayer.     

Structure and optical properties of ZnO nanowires fabricated by pulsed laser deposition on GaN/Si(111) films with the use of Au and NiO catalysts

The growth of ZnO nanowires on a Si(111) substrate with a GaN buffer layer by pulsed laser deposition at a high argon pressure and with the use of Au and NiO catalysts has been investigated. Application of the low-temperature NiO catalyst makes it possible to reduce the optimal growth temperature from 900°C (in the case of the Au catalyst) to T = 570°C and grow ZnO nanowires 20 nm in diameter, which are highly-oriented in the direction of the c lattice axis and completely free of dislocations.     

AlGaN/GaN heterostructure grown on 1 -tilt sapphire substrate by MOCVD

AlGaN/GaN epitaxial layers were grown on 0^°-tilt and 1^°-tilt sapphire substrates by metalorganic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD). With exactly the same growth conditions, it was found that dislocation density was smaller and crystal quality was better for the AlGaN/GaN epitaxial layers prepared on 1^°-tilt sapphire substrate. We also found that AlGaN/GaN epitaxial layers on 1^°-tilt sapphire substrate were grown with step growth mode while those on 0^°-tilt substrate were grown with two-dimensional island growth. From the temperature-dependent mobility, it was found that crystal quality of the AlGaN/GaN epitaxial layer prepared on 1^°-tilt sapphire substrate is better.     

Progress in research of GaN-based LEDs fabricated on SiC substrate

The influence of buffer layer growth conditions on the crystal quality and residual stress of GaN film grown on silicon carbide substrate is investigated.It is found that the Al GaN nucleation layer with high growth temperature can efficiently decrease the dislocation density and stress of the GaN film compared with Al N buffer layer.To increase the light extraction efficiency of GaN-based LEDs on Si C substrate,flip-chip structure and thin film flip-chip structure were designed and optimized.The fabricated blue LED had a maximum wall-plug efficiency of 72% at 80 m A.At 350 m A,the output power,the Vf,the dominant wavelength,and the wall-plug efficiency of the blue LED were 644 m W,2.95 V,460 nm,and 63%,respectively.     

AlN/蓝宝石模板上生长的GaN研究

研究了在分子束外延制备的AlN/蓝宝石模板上采用金属有机物化学气相外延生长的非故意掺杂GaN的材料性质.采用X射线衍射(XRD)、透射电镜(TEM)和原子力显微镜研究了AlN模板的晶体质量和表面相貌对GaN的影响.结果表明,当AlN的表面粗糙度较小时,尽管AlN模板的位错密度较高((102)面XRD ω扫描半高全宽900—1500 arcsec),但生长得到的GaN依然具有和在蓝宝石衬底上采用"二步法"生长的GaN可比拟的晶体质量((002)面XRD ω扫描半高全宽200—30 关键词： 氮化镓 氮化铝 金属有机物化学气相外延     

Influence of AlN Buffer Thickness on GaN Grown on Si(111) by Gas Source Molecular Beam Epitaxy with Ammonia

Hexagonal GaN is grown on a Si(111) substrate with AlN as a buffer layer by gas source molecular beam epitaxy (GSMBE) with ammonia. The thickness of AlN buffer is changed from 9 to 72nm. When the thickness of AlN buffer is 36nm, the surface morphology and crystal quality of GaN is optimal. The in-situ reflection high energy electron diffraction (RHEED) reveals that the transition to a two-dimensional growth mode of AlN is the key to the quality of GaN. However, the thickness of AlN buffer is not so critical to the residual in-plane tensile stress in GaN grown on Si(111) by GSMBE for AlN thickness between 9 to 72nm.