The effect of single A1GaN interlayer on the structural properties of GaN epilayers grown on Si （111） substrates

High-quality and nearly crack-free GaN epitaxial layer was obtained by inserting a single AlGaN interlayer between GaN epilayer and high-temperature AlN buffer layer on Si (111) substrate by metalorganic chemical vapor deposition. This paper investigates the effect of AlGaN interlayer on the structural properties of the resulting GaN epilayer. It confirms from the optical microscopy and Raman scattering spectroscopy that the AlGaN interlayer has a remarkable effect on introducing relative compressive strain to the top GaN layer and preventing the formation of cracks. X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy analysis reveal that a significant reduction in both screw and edge threading dislocations is achieved in GaN epilayer by the insertion of AlGaN interlayer. The process of threading dislocation reduction in both AlGaN interlayer and GaN epilayer is demonstrated.     

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.     

高温AlN插入层对AlGaN/GaN异质结材料和HEMTs器件电学特性的影响

研究了在GaN缓冲层中插入40 nm厚高温AlN层的GaN外延层和AlGaN/GaN异质结材料, AlN插入层可以增加GaN层的面内压应力并提高AlGaN/GaN高电子迁移率晶体管（HEMTs）的电学特性. 在精确测量布拉格衍射角的基础上定量计算了压应力的大小. 增加的压应力一方面通过增强GaN层的压电极化电场, 提高了AlGaN/GaN异质结二维电子气（2DEG）面密度, 另一方面使AlGaN势垒层对2DEG面密度产生的两方面影响相互抵消. 同时, 这种AlN插入层的采用降低了GaN与AlGaN层之间的 关键词： 高温AlN插入层 AlGaN/GaN异质结 二维电子气 应力     

Low-leakage-current AlGaN/GaN HEMTs on Si substrates with partially Mg-doped GaN buffer layer by metal organic chemical vapor deposition

High-performance low-leakage-current AlGaN/GaN high electron mobility transistors(HEMTs) on silicon(111) substrates grown by metal organic chemical vapor deposition(MOCVD) with a novel partially Magnesium(Mg)-doped GaN buffer scheme have been fabricated successfully. The growth and DC results were compared between Mg-doped GaN buffer layer and a unintentionally one. A 1-μm gate-length transistor with Mg-doped buffer layer exhibited an OFF-state drain leakage current of 8.3 × 10-8A/mm, to our best knowledge, which is the lowest value reported for MOCVD-grown AlGaN/GaN HEMTs on Si featuring the same dimension and structure. The RF characteristics of 0.25-μm gate length T-shaped gate HEMTs were also investigated.     

The influence of SixNy interlayer on GaN film grown on Si(111) substrate

A method to drastically reduce dislocation density in a GaN film grown on an Si(111) substrate is newly developed. In this method, the Si_xN_y interlayer which is deposited on an AlN buffer layer in situ is introduced to grow the GaN film laterally. The crack-free GaN film with thickness over 1.7 micron is grown on an Si(111) substrate successfully. Synthesized GaN epilayer is characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), atomic force microscope (AFM), and Raman spectrum. The test results show that the GaN crystal reveals a wurtzite structure with the <0001> crystal orientation and the full width at half maximum of the X-ray diffraction curve in the (0002) plane is as low as 403 arcsec for the GaN film grown on the Si substrate with an Si_xN_y interlayer. In addition, Raman scattering is used to study the stress in the sample. The results indicate that the Si_xN_y interlayer can more effectively accommodate the strain energy. So the dislocation density can be reduced drastically, and the crystal quality of GaN film can be greatly improved by introducing Si_xN_y interlayer.     

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。     

Effect of the thickness of InGaN interlayer on a-plane GaN epilayer

In this paper,we use the a-plane InGaN interlayer to improve the property of a-plane GaN.Based on the a-InGaN interlayer,a template exhibits that a regular,porous structure,which acts as a compliant effect,can be obtained to release the strain caused by the lattice and thermal mismatch between a-GaN and r-sapphire.We find that the thickness of InGaN has a great influence on the growth of a-GaN.The surface morphology and crystalline quality both are first improved and then deteriorated with increasing the thickness of the InGaN interlayer.When the InGaN thickness exceeds a critical point,the a-GaN epilayer peels off in the process of cooling down to room temperature.This is an attractive way of lifting off a-GaN films from the sapphire substrate.     

Effect of high-temperature buffer thickness on quality of AlN epilayer grown on sapphire substrate by metalorganic chemical vapor deposition

The effect of an initially grown high-temperature AlN buffer (HT-AlN) layer's thickness on the quality of an AlN epilayer grown on sapphire substrate by metalorganic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) in a two-step growth process is investigated. The characteristics of AlN epilayers are analyzed by using triple-axis crystal X-ray diffraction (XRD) and atomic force microscopy (AFM). It is shown that the crystal quality of the AlN epilayer is closely related to its correlation length. The correlation length is determined by the thickness of the initially grown HT-AlN buffer layer. We find that the optimal HT-AlN buffer thickness for obtaining a high-quality AlN epilayer grown on sapphire substrate is about 20 nm.     

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.     

Influence of Schottky drain contacts on the strained AlGaN barrier layer of AlGaN/AlN/GaN heterostructure field-effect transistors

Rectangular Schottky drain AlGaN/AlN/GaN heterostructure field-effect transistors (HFETs) with different gate contact areas and conventional AlGaN/AlN/GaN HFETs as control were both fabricated with same size. It was found there is a significant difference between Schottky drain AlGaN/AlN/GaN HFETs and the control group both in drain series resistance and in two-dimensional electron gas (2DEG) electron mobility in the gate-drain channel. We attribute this to the different influence of Ohmic drain contacts and Schottky drain contacts on the strained AlGaN barrier layer. For conventional AlGaN/AlN/GaN HFETs, annealing drain Ohmic contacts gives rise to a strain variation in the AlGaN barrier layer between the gate contacts and the drain contacts, and results in strong polarization Coulomb field scattering in this region. In Schottky drain AlGaN/AlN/GaN HFETs, the strain in the AlGaN barrier layer is distributed more regularly.     

Effects of the AlN nucleation layer thickness on the crystal structures of an AlN epilayer grown on the 6H-SiC substrate

The influence of the LT-AlN(NL) growth times on the mosaic structure parameters of the AlN layer grown on the LT-AlN(NL)/6H-SiC structures as well as the dislocation densities and the strain behaviours in the AlN epilayers has been investigated using XRD measurements. The growth times of the LT-AlN(NL) were changed to 0, 60, 120, 180, and 240?s. We observed that the mosaic structure parameters of the AlN epilayers were slightly affected by the LT-AlN(NL) growth times. However, the dislocation densities in the AlN layer are affected by the growth times of the LT-AlN(NL) layer. The highest edge dislocation density (5.48?×?10¹⁰?±?2.3?×?10⁹?cm^?2) was measured for the sample in which 120?s grown LT-AlN(NL) was used. On the other hand, highest screw type dislocation density (1.21?×?10¹⁰?±?1.7?×?10⁹?cm^?2) measured in the sample E that contains 240?s growth LT-AlN(NL). The strain calculation results show that the samples without LT-AlN(NL) suffered maximum compressive in-plane strain (?10.9?×?10^?3?±?1.8?×?10^?4), which can be suppressed by increasing the LT-AlN(NL) growth times. The out-of-plane strain also has a compressive character and its values increase with LT-AlN(NL) growth times between 60 and 180?s. Same out-of-plane strain values were measured for the LT-AlN(NL) growth times of 180 and 240?s. Furthermore, the form of the biaxial stress in the AlN epilayer changed from compressive to tensile when the LT-AlN(NL) growth times were greater than 120?s.     

Si(111)衬底上GaN的MOCVD生长

利用LP-MOCVD在Si（111）衬底上,以高温AIN为缓冲层,分别用低温GaN（LT-GaN）和偏离化学计量比富Ga高温GaN（HT-GaN）为过渡层外延生长六方相GaN薄膜。采用高分辨率双晶X射线衍射（DCXRD）,扫描电子显微镜（SEM）,原子力显微镜（AFM）和室温光致荧光光谱（RT-PL）进行分析。结果表明,有偏离化学计量比富Ga HT-GaN为过渡层生长的GaN薄膜质量和光致荧光特性均明显优于以LT-GaN为过渡层生长的GaN薄膜,得到GaN（0002）和（1012）的DCXRD峰,其半峰全宽（FWHM）分别为698s和842s,室温下的光致荧光光谱在361nm处有一个很强的发光峰,其半峰全宽为44．3meV。     

刻蚀AlN缓冲层对硅衬底N极性n-GaN表面粗化的影响

研究了等离子体刻蚀AlN缓冲层对硅衬底N极性n-GaN表面粗化行为的影响. 实验结果表明, 表面AlN缓冲层的状态对N极性n-GaN的粗化行为影响很大, 采用等离子体刻蚀去除一部分表面AlN缓冲层即可以有效提高N极性n-GaN在KOH溶液中的粗化效果, AlN缓冲层未经任何刻蚀处理的样品粗化速度过慢, 被刻蚀完全去除AlN缓冲层的样品容易出现粗化过头的现象. 经X射线光电子能谱分析可知, 等离子体刻蚀能够提高样品表面AlN缓冲层Al 2p的电子结合能, 使得样品表面费米能级向导带底靠近, 原子含量测试表明样品表面产生了大量的N空位, N空位提供电子, 使得材料表面费米能级升高, 这降低了KOH溶液和样品表面之间的肖特基势垒, 从而有利于表面粗化的进行. 通过等离子体刻蚀掉表面部分AlN缓冲层, 改善了N极性n-GaN在KOH溶液中的粗化效果, 明显提升了对应发光二级管器件的出光功率.     

Low-leakage-current AIGaN/GaN HEMTs on Si substrates with partially Mg-doped GaN buffer layer by metal organic chemical vapor deposition

High-performance low-leakage-current A1GaN/GaN high electron mobility transistors （HEMTs） on silicon （111） sub- strates grown by metal organic chemical vapor deposition （MOCVD） with a novel partially Magnesium （Mg）-doped GaN buffer scheme have been fabricated successfully. The growth and DC results were compared between Mg-doped GaN buffer layer and a unintentionally onμe. A 1μ m gate-length transistor with Mg-doped buffer layer exhibited an OFF-state drain leakage current of 8.3 × 10-8 A/mm, to our best knowledge, which is the lowest value reported for MOCVD-grown A1GaN/GaN HEMTs on Si featuring the same dimension and structure. The RF characteristics of 0.25-μ m gate length T-shaped gate HEMTs were also investigated.     

Preparation and properties of GaN films on Si(111) substrates

High-quality gallium nitride (GaN) films were prepared on Si(111) substrates by sputtering post-annealing-reaction technique. XRD, XPS, and SEM measurement results indicate that polycrystalline GaN with hexagonal structure was successfully prepared. Intense room- temperature photoluminescence that peaked at 354 nm of the films is observed. The bandgap of these films has a blueshift with respect to bulk GaN.     

Effects of GaN cap layer thickness on an AlN/GaN heterostructure

In this study, we investigate the effects of GaN cap layer thickness on the two-dimensional electron gas (2DEG) electron density and 2DEG electron mobility of AlN/GaN heterostructures by using the temperature-dependent Hall measurement and theoretical fitting method. The results of our analysis clearly indicate that the GaN cap layer thickness of an AlN/GaN heterostructure has influences on the 2DEG electron density and the electron mobility. For the AlN/GaN heterostructures with a 3-nm AlN barrier layer, the optimized thickness of the GaN cap layer is around 4 nm and the strained a-axis lattice constant of the AlN barrier layer is less than that of GaN.     

AlGaN/GaN HEMTs grown on silicon (001) substrates by molecular beam epitaxy

We report the realization of an AlGaN/GaN HEMT on silicon (001) substrate with noticeably better transport and electrical characteristics than previously reported. The heterostructure has been grown by molecular beam epitaxy. The 2D electron gas formed at the AlGaN/GaN interface exhibits a sheet carrier density of 8×10¹² cm⁻² and a Hall mobility of 1800 cm²/V s at room temperature. High electron mobility transistors with a gate length of 4 μm have been processed and DC characteristics have been achieved. A maximum drain current of more than 500 mA/mm and a transconductance g_m of 120 mS/mm have been obtained. These results are promising and open the way for making efficient AlGaN/GaN HEMT devices on Si(001).     

The effects of GaN capping layer thickness on two-dimensional electron mobility in GaN/AlGaN/GaN heterostructures

In this paper we present a study of the effect of GaN capping layer thickness on the two-dimensional (2D)-electron mobility and the two-dimensional electron gas (2DEG) sheet density which is formed near the AlGaN barrier/buffer GaN layer. This study is undertaken using a fully numerical calculation for GaN/Al_xGa_1−xN/GaN heterostructures with different Al mole fraction in the Al_xGa_1−xN barrier, and for various values of barrier layer thickness. The results of our analysis clearly indicate that increasing the GaN capping layer thickness leads to a decrease in the 2DEG density. Furthermore, it is found that the room-temperature 2D-electron mobility reaches a maximum value of approximately 1.8×10³ cm² /Vs⁻¹ for GaN capping layer thickness grater than 100 Å with an Al_0.32Ga_0.68N barrier layer of 200 Å thick. In contrast, for same structure, the 2DEG density decreases monotonically with GaN capping layer thickness, and eventually saturates at approximately 6×10¹² cm⁻² for capping layer thickness greater than 500 Å. A comparison between our calculated results with published experimental data is shown to be in good agreement for GaN capping layers up to 500 Å thickness.     

Effect of Si doping in wells of AlGaN/GaN superlattice on the characteristics of epitaxial layer

An AlGaN/GaN superlattice grown on the top of a GaN buffer induces the broadening of the full width at half maximum of (102) and (002) X-ray diffraction rocking curves. With an increase in the Si-doped concentration in the GaN wells, the full width at half maximum of the (102) rocking curves decreases, while that of the (002) rocking curves increases. A significant increase of the full width at the half maximum of the (002) rocking curves when the doping concentration reaches 2.5 × 1019 cm-3 indicates the substantial increase of the inclined threading dislocation. High level doping in the AlGaN/GaN superlattice can greatly reduce the biaxial stress and optimize the surface roughness of the structures grown on the top of it.     

Electrical properties of MOCVD-grown GaN on Si (111) substrates with low-temperature AlN interlayers

The electrical properties of the structure of GaN grown on an Si (111) substrate with low-temperature (LT) AlN interlayers by metal-organic chemical-vapour deposition are investigated. An abnormal P-type conduction is observed in our GaN-on-Si structure by Hall effect measurement, which is mainly due to the Al atom diffusing into the Si substrate and acting as an acceptor dopant. Meanwhile, a constant n-type conduction channel is observed in LT-AlN, which causes a conduction-type conversion at low temperature (50 K) and may further influence the electrical behavior of this structure.