Fabrication of freestanding GaN microstructures using AlN sacrificial layers

The fabrication of freestanding GaN microstructures using AlN sacrificial layers (SLs) is reported. GaN layers were grown by plasma assisted molecular beam epitaxy (PAMBE) on polycrystalline AlN sacrificial layers that have been deposited at 600 °C. Isotropic wet chemical etching of the AlN film released GaN microbridges and – cantilevers. The stress gradient and the compressive stress in the GaN‐film was extracted by analysis of the relation between beam geometry and displacement. (© 2007 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

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.     

The influence of nitridation time on the structural properties of GaN grown on Si (111) substrate

In the present paper, the effect of in-situ substrate nitridation time on crystalline quality of GaN films grown on Si (111) substrates by metal organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) were investigated. A thin buffer layer of silicon nitride (SiN _x ) with various thicknesses was achieved through the nitridation of substrate at different nitiridation times ranging from 0 to 660 s. The structural characteristics, such as dislocation densities, correlation lengths of columnar crystallites, the tilt and twist of the mosaic structure, and the angles of rotational disorder, were all studied in detail by using a planar and cross-sectional view of high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) and X-ray diffraction (HRXRD) performed at different scattering geometries. It was found that the dislocation densities, lateral coherence lengths, vertical coherence lengths, and the tilt and twist of mosaic blocks in GaN films monotonically varies with the nitridation time. The experimental findings showed that the nitridation times had more influence on edge dislocation densities than the screw type.     

Comparison of InGaN/GaN light emitting diodes grown on m ‐plane and a ‐plane bulk GaN substrates

InGaN/GaN‐based light emitting diodes (LEDs) grown on m ‐plane, a ‐plane and off‐axis between m ‐ and a ‐plane GaN bulk substrates were investigated. A smooth surface was obtained when a ‐plane substrate was applied; however, large amounts of defects were observed. Photoluminescence measurements of the LEDs with a well thickness of 2.5 nm revealed that all the LEDs showed the peak emission wavelength at 389 nm. The PL intensity of the a ‐plane LED is one order of magnitude lower than that of the m ‐plane LED. The a ‐plane LEDs showed significant lower electroluminescence output powers than m ‐plane LEDs, suggesting that excitons are trapped by the defects, which act as non‐radiative recombination centers. (© 2008 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Luminescent Characteristics of Near Ultraviolet InGaN/GaN MQWs Grown on Grooved Sapphire Substrates Fabricated by Wet Chemical Etching

InGaN/GaN multiple quantum wells （MQWs） are grown on planar and maskless periodically grooved sapphires by metal organic vapour phase epitaxy （MOCVD）. High-resolution x-ray rocking curves and transmission electron microscopy （TEM） are adopted to characterize the film quality. Compared with the MQWs grown on planar sapphire, the sample grown on grooved sapphire shows better crystalline quality： a remarkable reduction of dislocation densities is achieved. Meanwhile, the MQWs grown on grooved sapphire show two times larger PL intensity at room temperature. Temperature-dependent PL measurements are adopted to investigate the luminescence properties. The luminescence thermal quenching based on a fit to the Arrhenius plot of the normalized integrated PL intensity over the measured temperature range suggests that the nonradiative recombination centres （NRCs） are greatly reduced for the sample grown on grooved sapphire. We assume that the reduction of dislocations which act as NRCs is the main reason for the sample grown on pattern sapphire having higher PL intensity.     

界面形核时间对GaN薄膜晶体质量的影响

利用金属有机化学气相沉积技术系统研究了界面形核时间对c面蓝宝石衬底上外延生长GaN薄膜晶体质量的影响机理. 用原子力显微镜、扫描电子显微镜、高分辨X射线衍射仪以及光致发光光谱仪表征材料的晶体质量以及光学性质. 随着形核时间的延长, 退火后形成的形核岛密度减小、尺寸增大、均匀性变差, 使得形核岛合并过程中产生的界面数量先减小后增大, 导致GaN外延层的螺位错和刃位错密度先减小后增大, 这与室温光致发光光谱中得到的带边发光峰与黄带发光峰的比值先增大后降低一致. 研究结果表明, 外延生长过程中, 界面形核时间会对GaN薄膜中的位错演变施加巨大影响, 从而导致GaN外延层的晶体质量以及光学性质的差异.     

Effect of growth pressure on the morphology evolution and doping characteristics in nonpolar a-plane GaN

Nonpolar a-plane GaN layers grown on r-plane sapphire substrates were examined by using a two-step growth process. The higher initial growth pressure for the nucleation layer resulted in the improved crystalline quality with lower density of both threading dislocations and basal stacking faults. This was attributed to the higher degree of initial roughening and recovery time via a growth mode transition from three-dimensional (3D) to quasi two-dimensional (2D) lateral growth. Using Hall-effect measurements, the overgrown Si doped GaN layers grown with higher initial growth pressure were found to have higher mobility. The scattering mechanism due to the dislocations was dominant especially at low temperature (<200 K) for the lower initial growth pressure, which was insignificant for the higher initial growth pressure. The temperature-dependent Hall-effect measurements for the Mg doped GaN with a higher initial growth pressure yielded the activation energy and the acceptor concentration to be 128 meV and 1.2 × 10¹⁹ cm⁻³, respectively, corresponding to about 3.6% of activation at room temperature. Two-step growth scheme with a higher initial growth pressure is suggested as a potential method to improve the performance of nonpolar a-plane GaN based devices.     

磁控反应溅射AlN缓冲层对GaN基LED器件性能的影响

以直流磁控反应溅射法(RMS)在图形化蓝宝石衬底上制备的AlN薄膜作为缓冲层,采用金属有机化学气相沉积法(MOCVD)外延生长了GaN基LED。与MOCVD生长的低温GaN缓冲层相比,RMS制备的AlN缓冲层具有表面更平整、颗粒更小的形核岛,有利于促进GaN外延的横向生长,减少了形核岛合并时的界面数量和高度差异,降低了缺陷和位错产生的几率。研究结果表明,溅射AlN缓冲层取代传统低温GaN缓冲层后,外延生长的GaN材料具有更高的晶体质量,LED器件在亮度、漏电和抗静电能力等光电特性上均有明显提升。     

Color centers and dynamic emission of Eu2+ ion doped halosilicate Ca10Si6O21Cl2

The structural and morphological properties of metal-organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD)-grown InGaN/GaN light-emitting diode (LED) structures with different In content have been studied by high-resolution X-ray diffraction (HRXRD), atomic force microscopy (AFM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and Photoluminescence (PL). It is found that the tilt and twist angles, lateral and vertical coherence lengths (CLs) of mosaic blocks, grain size, screw and edge dislocation densities of GaN and AlN layers, and surface roughness monotonically vary with In content. Experimental results show that the mosaic block dimensions for every two layers generally increase with increasing In content, with exception of the lateral CL of the GaN layer, which exhibits an inverse behavior. In this case, the strain values and tilt angles show a decrease accordingly. At the same time, the screw dislocation densities and twist angles of the GaN and AlN layers decrease and increase monotonically, respectively. The edge dislocation density of AlN shows a decreasing behavior, while that of the GaN exhibits an increasing trend. Furthermore, LED structures display an island-like surface structure at a relatively high In composition, in contrast to a well-defined step-terrace structure at a low In composition.     

Structural properties of GaN(0001) epitaxial layers revealed by high resolution X-ray diffraction

High-resolution X-ray diffraction has been used to analyze GaN(0001) epitaxial layers on sapphire substrates. Several structural properties of GaN, including the lattice constants, strains, and dislocation densities are revealed by the technique of X-ray dffraction (XRD). Lattice constants calculated from the omega/2theta scan are c=0.5185 nm and a=0.3157 nm. Also, the in-plane strain is -1.003%, while out of the plane, the epitaxial film is almost relaxed. Several methods are used to deduce the mosaicity a...     

A Comparison of GaN Epilayers with Multiple Buffer Layers and with a Single Buffer Layer Grown on Si（111） Studied by HRXRD and RBS/Channeling

Two hexagonal GaN epilayers （samples A and B） with multiple buffer layers and single buffer layer are grown on Si （111） by metal-organic vapour phase epitaxy （MOVPE）. From the results of Rutherford backscattering （RBS）/channeling and high resolution x-ray diffraction （HRXRD）, we obtain the lattice constant （a and c） of two GaN epilayers （aA = 0.3190 nm, cA = 0.5184 nm and aB = 0.3192 nm, CB = 0.5179 nm）, the crystal quality of two GaN epilayers （ ХminA=4.87%, ХminB =7.35% along 〈1-↑213〉 axis） and the tetragonal distortion eT of the two samples along depth （sample A is nearly fully relaxed, sample B is not relaxed enough）. Comparing the results with the two samples, it is indicated that sample A with multiple buffer layers have better crystal quality than sample B with a single buffer layer, and it is a good way to grow GaN epilayer on Si （111） substrates using multiple buffer layers to improve crystal quality and to reduce lattice mismatch.     

蓝宝石邻晶面衬底MBE生长GaN薄膜的瞬态光电导弛豫特性研究

在实验优化MBE工艺条件的基础上，采用蓝宝石(0001)邻晶面衬底制备出了具有较高质量的GaN薄膜.XRD分析表明邻晶面衬底生长的GaN薄膜晶体结构质量明显提高，AFM表征结果显示邻晶面生长的样品表面形貌显著改善.蓝宝石衬底GaN薄膜的瞬态光电导弛豫特性对比实验研究发现，常规衬底生长的GaN薄膜光电导弛豫特性出现双分子复合、单分子复合和弛豫振荡三个过程，持续时间分别为0.91，7.7和35.5ms；蓝宝石邻晶面衬底生长的GaN薄膜光电导弛豫过程主要是双分子复合和单分子复合过程，持续时间分别为0.78和14ms.理论分析表明MBE生长GaN薄膜的持续光电导效应主要起源于本生位错缺陷引发的深能级. 关键词： 邻晶面蓝宝石衬底 GaN薄膜 瞬态光电导 弛豫特性     

蓝宝石衬底上RF-MBE生长的GaN中的极性控制和螺旋位错的降低

近年来人们报道了用MBE方法生长GaN的飞速进展,利用RF-MBE方法可以获得高的GAN生长速率和高的电子迁移率.本文讨论了用RF-MBE方法在蓝宝石衬底上生长GaN过程中的极性控制和螺旋位错的降低.在充分氮化的蓝宝石衬底上直接生长GaN,使GaN的极性控制为N-极性,并用高温生长的AlN核化层实现GaN的Ga-极性.对于N-和Ga-极性的GaN这两种情况,高温生长的AlN中间迭层的引入,可以有效地抑制螺旋位错的扩散.位错的降低使GaN的室温电子迁移率得到提高,对于Ga-极性的GaN,其值为332cm²/V·s;而对于N-极性的GaN,其值为688cm²/V·s.     

GaAs(001)衬底上分子束外延生长立方和六方GaN薄膜

采用分子束外延方法在GaAs(001)衬底上生长出了03微米厚的GaN薄膜,X射线双晶衍射和室温光荧光测试结果表明,采用GaAs氮化表面作为成核层可获得高纯度立方GaN薄膜而采用AlAs氮化表面作为成核层可获得高纯度六方GaN薄膜.这一研究结果表明在GaAs衬底上生长GaN薄膜的相结构可以通过选择不同的成核层来控制. 关键词：     

δ掺杂对Si衬底GaN蓝光LED外延膜性能的影响研究

用X射线衍射方法通过不同晶面的ω扫描测试,分析了Si衬底GaN蓝光LED外延膜中n-型层δ掺杂Si处理对外延膜结晶性能的影响。报道了Si衬底GaN外延膜系列晶面的半峰全宽(FWHM)值。通过使用晶格旋转(Lattice-rotation)模型拟合,计算出样品的螺位错密度和刃位错密度。结果表明,δ掺杂Si处理后生长出的样品螺位错密度增大、刃位错密度减小,总位错密度有所减小。通过对未经δ掺杂处理和δ掺杂处理的GaN外延膜相应ω-2θ扫描半峰全宽值的比较,发现δ掺杂Si处理后生长出的样品非均匀应变较大;相应样品的LED电致发光光谱I、-V特性曲线显示δ掺杂后样品性能变好。     

Anisotropic defect reduction in non-polar a-plane GaN grown by hydride vapor phase epitaxy on maskless patterned templates

Several non-polar a-plane GaN films had been grown by hydride vapor phase epitaxy (HVPE) on different designed metal organic chemical deposition (MOCVD) GaN templates, which exhibited various ridge-like sidewall facets surface morphologies. The templates induced a lateral growth at the early stage of the HVPE growth, and resulted in a kind of maskless epitaxy lateral overgrown (ELO) process. It is found that the dislocation reduced differently along [1 0 0 0] and [] directions in these HVPE a-plane GaN layers. In [0 0 0 1] direction, the dislocation reduction resulted from the optimal surface roughness value of the template. In [] direction, the inclined facet might be a main factor for the dislocation reduction in HVPE-GaN films. The maskless ELO process had a significant influence on decreasing the dislocation density.     

GaN中Zn的均匀掺杂

在Ar-HCl-Ga-NH3气相外延生长GaN的过程中,分析了Zn在GaN中分布不均匀的原因,认为除生长出晶体完整性好的n-GaN提供均匀掺杂的必要条件外,Zn气流的合理分布是获得Zn均匀掺入的关键。我们通过设计新的Zn喷口,能在φ25mm的GaN:Zn样品上,得到了Zn的均匀分布,PL、CL、EL均为一种颜色,室温下测定了EL光谱,不同点的峰值偏差小于10Å。     

Ultra‐thin nanocrystalline diamond films (<100 nm) with high electrical resistivity

Thick diamond films are known to exhibit remarkably high electrical resistivity and thermal conductivity. However, on thin films, difficulties are often observed to achieve such performances. In this study, the synthesis of ultra‐thin diamond films was optimized towards the possibility to maintain high dielectric performances on layers compatible with today requirements for Silicon‐On‐Diamond technology, and namely aiming at films with thicknesses equal or below 150 nm. The nucleation of diamond nanocrystals is crucial to obtain films with thickness lower than 100 nm. A Bias Enhanced Nucleation step (BEN) was improved to achieve nucleation densities above 10¹¹ cm^–2 although the process was also tuned to limit the size of the nanocrystals during this step. The control of the carbonization of the silicon substrate is also essential to reach such a density with a high reproducibility. The BEN is followed by a growth step with optimized conditions. The films were characterized by SEM and Spectroscopic Ellipsometry. Electrical conductivity measurements were conducted on thin diamond films and values obtained on layers below 100 nm were as high as 5 × 10¹³ Ω cm; a value significantly higher than the state of the art for such thin films. (© 2009 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Growth and characterization of Fe nanostructures on GaN

We have investigated the growth of Fe nanostructures on GaN(0 0 0 1) substrates at room temperature using reflection high-energy electron diffraction (RHEED), scanning tunneling microscopy (STM), and superconducting quantum interference device magnetometer. Initially, a ring RHEED pattern appears, indicating the growth of polycrystalline α-Fe. At around 0.5 nm deposition, the surface displays a transmission pattern from α-Fe films with the epitaxial relationship of Fe(1 1 0)//GaN(0 0 0 1) and Fe[1 −1 1]//GaN[1 1 −2 0] (Kurdjumov-Sachs (KS) orientational relationship). Further deposition to 1 nm results in the appearance of a new spot pattern together with the pattern from domains with the KS orientation relationship. The newly observed pattern shows that Fe layers are formed with the epitaxial relationship of Fe(1 1 0)//GaN(0 0 0 1) and Fe[0 0 1]//GaN[1 1 −2 0] (Nishiyama-Wasserman (NW) orientational relationship). From STM images for Fe layers with the KS and NW orientational relationships, it can be seen that Fe layers with the KS relationship consist of round-shaped Fe nanodots with below 7 nm in average diameter. These nanodots coalesce to form nanodots elongating along the Fe[1 0 0] direction, and they have the KS orientational relationship. Elongated Fe nanodots with the NW relationship show ferromagnetism while round-shaped Fe nanodots with the KS relationship show super-paramagnetic behavior. We will discuss their magnetic properties in connection with the change in crystalline configurations of nanodots.     

Comparison of resonant tunneling diodes grown on freestanding GaN substrates and sapphire substrates by plasma-assisted molecular-beam epitaxy

AlN/GaN resonant tunneling diodes (RTDs) were grown separately on freestanding GaN (FS-GaN) substrates and sapphire substrates by plasma-assisted molecular-beam epitaxy (PA-MBE). Room temperature negative differential resistance (NDR) was obtained under forward bias for the RTDs grown on FS-GaN substrates, with the peak current densities (J_p) of 175-700 kA/cm² and peak-to-valley current ratios (PVCRs) of 1.01-1.21. Two resonant peaks were also observed for some RTDs at room temperature. The effects of two types of substrates on epitaxy quality and device performance of GaN-based RTDs were firstly investigated systematically, showing that lower dislocation densities, flatter surface morphology, and steeper heterogeneous interfaces were the key factors to achieving NDR for RTDs.