Humberto M. Foronda

Structure and properties of La-modified Na0.5Bi0.5TiO3 at ambient and elevated temperatures

The crystal structure and property changes of sodium bismuth titanate (Na0.5Bi0.5TiO3, NBT) piezoelectric ceramics are reported as a function of La modification (0.5–2.0 at. %) and increasing temperature using high resolution x-ray diffraction, permittivity, depolarization, and polarization and strain hysteresis measurements. La substitution is found to decrease the depolarization temperature of NBT (e.g., 1.5 at. % La substitution lowers the depolarization temperature by 60 °C relative to the unmodified composition) with little impact on the room temperature polarization and strain hysteresis. The room temperature structures of the various NBT compositions were modeled using a mixture of the monoclinic Cc space group and the cubic Pm3¯m phase, where the Pm3¯m phase is used to model local regions in the material which do not obey the long range Cc space group. With increasing La substitution, the lattice parameter distortions associated with the Cc phase approached that of the prototypical cubic unit cell...

Curvature and bow of bulk GaN substrates

We investigate the bow of free standing (0001) oriented hydride vapor phase epitaxy grown GaN substrates and demonstrate that their curvature is consistent with a compressive to tensile stress gradient (bottom to top) present in the substrates. The origin of the stress gradient and the curvature is attributed to the correlated inclination of edge threading dislocation (TD) lines away from the [0001] direction. A model is proposed and a relation is derived for bulk GaN substrate curvature dependence on the inclination angle and the density of TDs. The model is used to analyze the curvature for commercially available GaN substrates as determined by high resolution x-ray diffraction. The results show a close correlation between the experimentally determined parameters and those predicted from theoretical model.

Developments in AlGaN and UV-C LEDs grown on SiC

AlGaN-based UV-C LEDs (260-300 nm) remain inefficient compared to InGaN visible LEDs due to optically absorptive layers limiting light extraction, optical polarization, and poor material quality. Sapphire, the most popular substrate material, is transparent and inexpensive but has many disadvantages in material quality and device performance. In contrast, SiC has small lattice mismatch with AlN (~1%), similar crystal structure, more chemically stable and contains no oxygen, which degrades the IQE and compensates holes. We report low threading dislocations density (TDD) AlN on SiC (TDD < 7x108cm-2) by metalorganic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD). We demonstrate innovative thin-film flipchip (TFFC) LEDs with 7.8 mW at 95 mA at 278.5 nm grown on AlN/SiC with TDD~1x109 cm-2. (Respectively, EQE and WPE are 1.8% and 0.6%.) We also demonstrate that KOH roughening does not impact the IV voltage of TFFC LED. KOH roughening enhanced the light extraction efficiency (LEE) by 100% and ~180% for UV LEDs with 10 nm p-GaN and 5 nm p-GaN, respectively.

Characterization of traps in InAlN by optically and thermally stimulated deep level defect spectroscopies

Deep level transient spectroscopy (DLTS) and deep level optical spectroscopy (DLOS) were used to characterize defect states throughout the bandgap of unintentionally-doped InxAl1−xN grown by metal organic chemical vapor deposition for x = 0.18 (nominally lattice-matched) and x = 0.15 compositions. DLTS revealed broad peaks with energy levels of EC − 0.23 eV and 0.38 eV for In0.18Al0.82N and In0.15Al0.85N, respectively, tracking the difference in their conduction band minima [S. Schulz et al., Appl. Phys. Express 6, 121001 (2013)]. Capture kinetics studies revealed logarithmic filling behavior, which with the broad peaks, implies that an extended defect source is likely, consistent with threading dislocation densities (TDD) of ∼1 × 109 cm−2 measured for both structures. However, the trap concentration did not track the detailed TDD variation but instead followed the background oxygen content, which varied between 1.2 × 1018 cm−3 and 1.8 × 1018 cm−3 for the samples. Taken together with the logarithmic capture kinetics, this implies that dislocation-oxygen complexes could be the source for this trap. In spite of the high oxygen content in the samples, this state did not reveal DX-like behavior, supporting the assertion of an oxygen-dislocation complex as its likely source. DLOS also revealed additional states at EC − 1.63 eV, 2.09 eV, and 3.59 eV for In0.18Al0.82N and analogous states at EC − 1.70 eV, 2.70 eV, and 3.90 eV within In0.15Al0.85N. Lighted capacitance-voltage measurements indicated that the near mid-gap (EC − 2.09 eV and 2.70 eV) and near valence band (EC − 3.59 eV and 3.90 eV) states are their primary sources for carrier compensation.Deep level transient spectroscopy (DLTS) and deep level optical spectroscopy (DLOS) were used to characterize defect states throughout the bandgap of unintentionally-doped InxAl1−xN grown by metal organic chemical vapor deposition for x = 0.18 (nominally lattice-matched) and x = 0.15 compositions. DLTS revealed broad peaks with energy levels of EC − 0.23 eV and 0.38 eV for In0.18Al0.82N and In0.15Al0.85N, respectively, tracking the difference in their conduction band minima [S. Schulz et al., Appl. Phys. Express 6, 121001 (2013)]. Capture kinetics studies revealed logarithmic filling behavior, which with the broad peaks, implies that an extended defect source is likely, consistent with threading dislocation densities (TDD) of ∼1 × 109 cm−2 measured for both structures. However, the trap concentration did not track the detailed TDD variation but instead followed the background oxygen content, which varied between 1.2 × 1018 cm−3 and 1.8 × 1018 cm−3 for the samples. Taken together with the logarithmic captu...

Evaluation of intervalley energy of GaN conduction band by ultrafast pump-probe spectroscopy (Conference Presentation)

The energy difference between the lowest conduction band valleys is a fundamental semiconductor parameter affecting performance of electronic devices via intervalley electron scattering. Surprisingly, the intervalley energy (IVE) value in GaN is still disputed. Recent photoemission experiments showed that IVE is 0.90 – 0.95 eV, which is considerably smaller than the >2 eV values obtained by ab initio calculations. One of the suitable techniques to measure IVE is time-resolved spectroscopy. Excitation wavelength dependent photoluminescence and pump-probe transients allow pinpointing the onset of the intervalley scattering by increase of the electron relaxation time towards the bottom of the conduction band. In this work, we apply this approach by performing differential transmission (DT) and reflection (DR) measurements on n-GaN crystal. In DR, ultraviolet (UV) pump creates electrons in the Γ valley at energies around the scattering threshold, and the onset energy is determined by the change of the electron relaxation time towards the bottom of the conduction band. However, IVE evaluated using this technique is affected by the poor knowledge of the valence band dispersion at large k values. This problem is circumvented in the DT measurements, in which only conduction band states are involved. The DT decay time spectrum provided the IVE value of 0.97 ± 0.02 eV, close to the photoemission data. Comparison of DT and DR intervalley scattering onsets allowed estimating the hole mass as 1.4m0. Modelling of the DR transients with rate equations produced intra-and intervalley electron - LO phonon scattering times of 30 and 15 fs, respectively.

Curvature of HVPE c-plane grown GaN wafers in the relation to stress gradients caused by inclined threading dislocations

We investigate the bow of free standing (0001) oriented HVPE grown GaN wafers and demonstrate that their curvature is consistent with a compressive to tensile stress gradient (bottom to top) present in the wafers. The origin of the stress gradient and the curvature is attributed to the inclination of edge threading dislocations (TDs) with respect to original [0001] GaN wafer or boule growth direction. A model is proposed and a relation is derived for bulk GaN wafer curvature dependence on the inclination angle and the density of TDs. The model is used to analyze the curvature for commercially available GaN substrates, and is supported by X-ray diffraction and cathodoluminescence measurements. The results show a close correlation between the experimentally determined wafer curvature and TD density and those predicted from the theoretical model for varying inclination angles.

Improving source efficiency for aluminum nitride grown by metal organic chemical vapor deposition

Parasitic pre-reactions are known to play a role in the growth of aluminum nitride (AlN) via metal organic chemical vapor deposition, where they can deplete precursor molecules before reaching the substrate, leading to poor growth efficiency. Studies have shown that reducing the growth pressure and growth temperature results in improved growth efficiency of AlN; however, superior crystal quality and reduced impurity incorporation are generally best obtained when growing at high temperatures. This study shows that, with proper alkyl source dilution, parasitic pre-reactions can be suppressed while maintaining high growth temperatures. The results show an 18× increase in growth rate and efficiency of AlN films: from 0.04 μm h−1 to 0.73 μm h−1, and 26 μm mol−1 to 502 μm mol−1, respectively; under constant TMAl flow and a small change in total gas flow. This results in 6.8% of Al atoms from the injected TMAl being utilized for AlN layer growth for this reactor configuration. This is better than the standard GaN growth, where 6.0% of the Ga atoms injected from TMGa are utilized for GaN growth.