Darren B. Thomson

Pendeoepitaxy of gallium nitride thin films

Pendeoepitaxy, a form of selective lateral growth of GaN thin films has been developed using GaN/AlN/6H–SiC(0001) substrates and produced by organometallic vapor phase epitaxy. Selective lateral growth is forced to initiate from the (1120) GaN sidewalls of etched GaN seed forms by incorporating a silicon nitride seed mask and employing the SiC substrate as a pseudomask. Coalescence over and between the seed forms was achieved. Transmission electron microscopy revealed that all vertically threading defects stemming from the GaN/AlN and AlN/SiC interfaces are contained within the seed forms and a substantial reduction in the dislocation density of the laterally grown GaN. Atomic force microscopy analysis of the (1120) face of discrete pendeoepitaxial structures revealed a root mean square roughness of 0.98 A. The pendeoepitaxial layer photoluminescence band edge emission peak was observed to be 3.454 eV and is blueshifted by 12 meV as compared to the GaN seed layer.

OPTICAL ACTIVATION OF BE IMPLANTED INTO GAN

Single crystalline (0001) gallium nitride layers were implanted with beryllium. Photoluminescence (PL) measurements were subsequently performed as a function of implantation dose and annealing temperature. One new line in the PL spectra at 3.35 eV provided strong evidence for the presence of optically active Be acceptors and has been assigned to band–acceptor (eA) recombinations. The determined ionization energy of 150±10 meV confirmed that isolated Be has the most shallow acceptor level in GaN. Co-implantation of nitrogen did not enhance the activation of the Be acceptors.

Pendeo-Epitaxy - A New Approach for Lateral Growth of Gallium Nitride Structures

A new process route for lateral growth of nearly defect free GaN structures via Pendeoepitaxy is discussed. Lateral growth of GaN films suspended from {11 2 0} side walls of [0001] oriented GaN columns into and over adjacent etched wells has been achieved via MOVPE technique without the use of, or contact with, a supporting mask or substrate. Pendeo-epitaxy is proposed as the descriptive term for this growth technique. Selective growth was achieved using process parameters that promote lateral growth of the { 11 2 0) planes of GaN and disallow nucleation of this phase on the exposed SiC substrate. Thus, the selectivity is provided by tailoring the shape of the underlying GaN layer itself consisting of a sequence of alternating trenches and columns, instead of selective growth through openings in SiO 2 or SiN x mask, as in the conventional lateral epitaxial overgrowth (LEO). Two modes of initiation of the pendeo-epitaxial GaN growth via MOVPE were observed: Mode A - promoting the lateral growth of the {11 2 0} side facets into the wells faster than the vertical growth of the (0001) top facets; and Mode B - enabling the top (0001) faces to grow initially faster followed by the pendeo-epitaxial growth over the wells from the newly formed {11 2 0} side facets. Four-to-five order decrease in the dislocation density was observed via transmission electron microscopy (TEM) in the pendeo-epitaxial GaN relative to that in the GaN columns. TEM observations revealed that in pendeo-epitaxial GaN films the dislocations do not propagate laterally from the GaN columns when the structure grows laterally from the sidewalls into and over the trenches. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) studies revealed that the coalesced regions are either defect-free or sometimes exhibit voids. Above these voids the PEGaN layer is usually defect free.

Organometallic Vapor Phase Lateral Epitaxy of Low Defect Density GaN Layers

Lateral epitaxial overgrowth (LEO) of GaN layers has been achieved on 3 μm wide and 7 μm spaced stripe windows contained in SiO 2 masks on GaN/AIN/6H-SiC(0001) substrates via organometallic vapor phase epitaxy (OMVPE). The extent and microstructural characteristics of lateral overgrowth were a complex function of stripe orientation, growth temperature and triethylgallium (TEG) flow rate. A high density of threading dislocations, originating from the interface of the underlying GaN with the AIN buffer layer, were contained in the GaN grown in the window regions. The overgrowth regions, by contrast, contained a very low density of dislocations. The second lateral epitaxial overgrowth layers were obtained on the first laterally grown layers by the repetition of SiO 2 deposition, lithography and lateral epitaxy.

The influence of band offsets on the IV characteristics for GaN/SiC heterojunctions

Abstract GaN/SiC heterojunctions can improve the performance considerably for bipolar transistors based on SiC technology. In order to fabricate such devices with a high current gain, the origin of the low turn-on voltage for the heterojunction has to be investigated, which is believed to decrease the minority carrier injection considerably. In this work heterojunction diodes are compared and characterized. For the investigated diodes, the GaN layers have been grown by molecular beam epitaxy (MBE), metal organic chemical vapor deposition, and hydride vapor phase epitaxy. A diode structure fabricated with MBE is presented here, whereas others are collected from previous publications. The layers were grown either with a low temperature buffer, AlN buffer, or without buffer layer. The extracted band offsets are compared and included in a model for a recombination process assisted by tunneling, which is proposed as explanation for the low turn-on voltage. This model was implemented in a device simulator and compared to the measured structures, with good agreement for the diodes with a GaN layer grown without buffer layer. In addition the band offset has been calculated from Schottky barrier measurements, resulting in a type II band alignment with a conduction band offset in the range 0.6–0.9 eV. This range agrees well with the values extracted from capacitance–voltage measurements.

High temperature nucleation and growth of GaN crystals from the vapor phase

Abstract A vapor phase growth process involving the reaction of Ga vapor and ammonia has been used to grow needle- and platelet-shaped single crystals of GaN at 1130°C. Introduction of the NH 3 only at high temperatures reduced the nucleation density, minimized the amount of GaN crust on the Ga source and resulted in larger crystals. A processing map has been constructed with respect to ammonia flow rate and total pressure at 1130°C to achieve control of growth in different crystallographic directions. Platelet growth of GaN was favored using low V/III ratios achieved via low ammonia flow rates and/or low total ammonia pressures and/or an increase in the Ga source temperature. Crystals with aspect ratios c / a

Low-energy electron microscopy observations of GaN homoepitaxy using a supersonic jet source

A study of the homoepitaxial growth of GaN(0001) layers was conducted in situ and in real time using the low-energy electron microscope. The Ga flux was supplied by an evaporative cell while the NH3 flux was supplied via a seeded-beam supersonic jet source. At growth temperatures of 665 °C and 677 °C, smooth GaN(0001) layers with well-defined step structures were grown on GaN(0001) substrates prepared by metalorganic chemical vapor deposition. In general, nonfaceted homoepitaxial layers were achieved when the Ga/NH3 flux ratios exceeded 2, starting with a Ga-covered substrate surface, in the temperature range of 655–710 °C.A study of the homoepitaxial growth of GaN(0001) layers was conducted in situ and in real time using the low-energy electron microscope. The Ga flux was supplied by an evaporative cell while the NH3 flux was supplied via a seeded-beam supersonic jet source. At growth temperatures of 665 °C and 677 °C, smooth GaN(0001) layers with well-defined step structures were grown on GaN(0001) substrates prepared by metalorganic chemical vapor deposition. In general, nonfaceted homoepitaxial layers were achieved when the Ga/NH3 flux ratios exceeded 2, starting with a Ga-covered substrate surface, in the temperature range of 655–710 °C.

Simulation and electrical characterization of GaN/SiC and AlGaN/SiC heterodiodes

Heterojunctions on SiC is an area in rapid development, especially GaN/SiC and AlGaN/SiC heterojunctions. The heterojunction can improve the performance considerably for BJTs and FETs. In this work heterojunction diodes have been manufactured and characterized. The structure was a GaN or AlGaN n-type region on top of a 6H-SiC p-type substrate. Two different approaches of growing the n-type region were tested. The GaN was grown with the MBE technique using a polycrystalline GaN buffer, whereas the AlGaN was grown with CVD and an AlN buffer. The AlGaN had an aluminum mole fraction of around 0.1. Mesa structures were formed using Cl2 RIE of GaN/AlGaN, which showed good selectivity on 6H-SiC (about 1:6). A Ti metallization with subsequent RTA was used as contact to GaN and AlGaN, and the contact to 6H-SiC was liquid InGa. Both I-V and C-V measurements were performed on the heterojunction diode. The ideality factor of the diodes, doping concentration of the SiC, and the band alignment of the heterojunction were extracted. © 1999 Elsevier Science S.A.

Selective etching of GaN over AlN using an inductively coupled plasma and an O2/Cl2/Ar chemistry

An alternative method for achieving etching selectivity between GaN and AlN has been demonstrated. The etch rate of AlN was significantly decreased by the addition of a low concentration of O2 to a Cl2–Ar mixture in an inductively coupled plasma (ICP) etching system. The etch rate of GaN in the O2-containing plasma was approximately 15% less than the plasma without the O2 for the same parameters. The pressure and the ICP power were varied to achieve a maximum selectivity of 48 at a pressure of 10 mTorr, a direct current bias of −150 V, and an ICP power of 500 W. The etch rates of GaN and AlN at these parameters were 4800 and 100 A/min, respectively.

Effect Of Implantation Temperature On Damage Accumulation In Ar - Implanted GaN

A systematic investigation of damage accumulation in GaN films induced by Ar + as a function of implantation temperature and dose rate has been conducted. Depth distribution of disorder was measured by Rutherford Backscattering/Channeling spectrometry. Two disordered regions were identified in the damage depth distribution: a surface peak and a bulk damage peak. These regions exhibited different behavior as a function of implantation temperature. The displaced atomic density in the bulk damage peak displayed a “reverse annealing” behavior in temperature range from 500 °C to 700 °C, which we attributed to formation of characteristic secondary defects. The influence of implantation temperature and dose rate on the radiation damage accumulation is discussed.