Jing Ning

Review on mechanism of directly fabricating wafer-scale graphene on dielectric substrates by chemical vapor deposition

To date, chemical vapor deposition on transition metal catalysts is a potential way to achieve low cost, high quality and uniform wafer-scale graphene. However, the removal and transfer process of the annoying catalytic metals underneath can bring large amounts of uncertain factors causing the performance deterioration of graphene, such as the pollution of surface polymeric residues, unmentioned doping and structural damages. Thus, to develop a technique of directly fabricating graphene on dielectric substrates is quite meaningful. In this review, we will present specific methods of catalyst- or transfer-free techniques for graphene growth and discuss the diversity of growth mechanisms.

A partly-contacted epitaxial lateral overgrowth method applied to GaN material

We have discussed a new crystal epitaxial lateral overgrowth (ELO) method, partly-contacted ELO (PC-ELO) method, of which the overgrowth layer partly-contacts with underlying seed layer. The passage also illustrates special mask structures with and without lithography and provides three essential conditions to achieve the PC-ELO method. What is remarkable in PC-ELO method is that the tilt angle of overgrowth stripes could be eliminated by contacting with seed layer. Moreover, we report an improved monolayer microsphere mask method without lithography of PC-ELO method, which was used to grow GaN. From the results of scanning electron microscopy, cathodoluminescence, x-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy, and atomic force microscope (AFM), overgrowth layer shows no tilt angle relative to the seed layer and high quality coalescence front (with average linear dislocation density <6.4 × 103 cm−1). Wing stripes peak splitting of the XRD rocking curve due to tilt is no longer detectable. After coalescence, surface steps of AFM show rare discontinuities due to the low misorientation of the overgrowth regions.

One-step synthesis of novel snowflake-like Si-O/Si-C nanostructures on 3D graphene/Cu foam by chemical vapor deposition

The recent development of synthesis processes for three-dimensional (3D) graphene-based structures has tended to focus on continuous improvement of porous nanostructures, doping modification during thin-film fabrication, and mechanisms for building 3D architectures. Here, we synthesized novel snowflake-like Si-O/Si-C nanostructures on 3D graphene/Cu foam by one-step low-pressure chemical vapor deposition (CVD). Through systematic micromorphological characterization, it was determined that the formation mechanism of the nanostructures involved the melting of the Cu foam surface and the subsequent condensation of the resulting vapor, 3D growth of graphene through catalysis in the presence of Cu, and finally, nucleation of the Si-O/Si-C nanostructure in the carbon-rich atmosphere. Thus, by tuning the growth temperature and duration, it should be possible to control the nucleation and evolution of such snowflake-like nanostructures with precision. Electrochemical measurements indicated that the snowflake-like nanostructures showed excellent performance as a material for energy storage. The highest specific capacitance of the Si-O/Si-C nanostructures was ∼963.2 mF/cm2 at a scan rate of 1 mV/s. Further, even after 20,000 sequential cycles, the electrode retained 94.4% of its capacitance.

Groove-type channel enhancement-mode AlGaN/GaN MIS HEMT with combined polar and nonpolar AlGaN/GaN heterostructures*

A novel groove-type channel enhancement-mode AlGaN/GaN MIS high electron mobility transistor (GTCE-HEMT) with a combined polar and nonpolar AlGaN/GaN heterostucture is presented. The device simulation shows a threshold voltage of 1.24 V, peak transconductance of 182 mS/mm, and subthreshold slope of 85 mV/dec, which are obtained by adjusting the device parameters. Interestingly, it is possible to control the threshold voltage accurately without precisely controlling the etching depth in fabrication by adopting this structure. Besides, the breakdown voltage (V B) is significantly increased by 78% in comparison with the value of the conventional MIS-HEMT. Moreover, the fabrication process of the novel device is entirely compatible with that of the conventional depletion-mode (D-mode) polar AlGaN/GaN HEMT. It presents a promising way to realize the switch application and the E/D-mode logic circuits.

Fabrication of GaN-Based Heterostructures with an InAlGaN/AlGaN Composite Barrier*

GaN-based heterostructures with an InAlGaN/AlGaN composite barrier on sapphire (0001) substrates are grown by a low-pressure metal organic chemical vapor deposition system. Compositions of the InAlGaN layer are determined by x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, structure and crystal quality of the heterostructures are identified by high resolution x-ray diffraction, surface morphology of the samples are examined by an atomic force microscope, and Hall effect and capacitance-voltage measurements are performed at room temperature to evaluate the electrical properties of heterostructures. The Al/In ratio of the InAlGaN layer is 4.43, which indicates that the InAlGaN quaternary layer is nearly lattice-matched to the GaN channel. Capacitance–voltage results show that there is no parasitic channel formed between the InAlGaN layer and the AlGaN layer. Compared with the InAlGaN/GaN heterostructure, the electrical properties of the InAlGaN/AlGaN/GaN heterostructure are improved obviously. Influences of the thickness of the AlGaN layer on the electrical properties of the heterostructures are studied. With the optimal thickness of the AlGaN layer to be 5 nm, the 2DEG mobility, sheet density and the sheet resistance of the sample is 1889.61 cm2/V s, 1.44 × 1013 cm−2 and as low as 201.1 ω/sq, respectively.

Growth of InAlGaN Quaternary Alloys by Pulsed Metalorganic Chemical Vapor Deposition

Epitaxial growth of InAlGaN/GaN structures are performed on the c-plane sapphire by pulsed metal organic chemical vapor deposition with different triethylgallium (TEGa) flows in the growth process of InAlGaN quaternary alloys. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy results show that the Al/In ratio of the samples increases as the TEGa flows increase in the InAlGaN quaternary growth process. High-resolution x-ray diffraction results show that the crystal quality is improved with increasing TEGa flows. Morphology of the InAlGaN/GaN heterostructures is characterized by an atomic force microscopy, and the growth mode of the InAlGaN quaternary shows a 2D island growth mode. The minimum surface roughness is 0.20 nm with the TEGa flows equaling to 3.6 μmol/min in rms. Hall effect measurement results show that the highest electron mobility μ is 1005.49 cm2 /Vs and the maximal two-dimensional electron gas is 1.63 × 1013 cm−2.