M. Häberlen

GaN-based LEDs grown on 6-inch diameter Si (111) substrates by MOVPE

The issues and challenges of growing GaN-based structures on large area Si substrates have been studied. These include Si slip resulting from large temperature non-uniformities and cracking due to differential thermal expansion. Using an AlN nucleation layer in conjunction with an AlGaN buffer layer for stress management, and together with the interactive use of real time in-situ optical monitoring it was possible to realise flat, crack-free and uniform GaN and LED structures on 6-inch Si (111) substrates. The EL performance of processed LED devices was also studied on-wafer, giving good EL characteristics including a forward bias voltage of ~3.5 V at 20 mA from a 500 μm x 500 μm device.

Dislocation movement in GaN films

We demonstrate that significant dislocation movement occurs below the surface of heteroepitaxial c-plane GaN films during their growth by metalorganic vapor phase epitaxy. Dislocations move primarily by vacancy-assisted climb, which appears to be driven by the high in-plane biaxial stresses present during growth. Annealing low dislocation density (4.3×108 cm−2) GaN films promotes dislocation climb and thus reduces both dislocation densities and in-plane stresses (at high temperatures), independent of epilayer growth conditions.

Efficiency measurement of GaN-based quantum well and light-emitting diode structures grown on silicon substrates

The optical efficiency of GaN-based multiple quantum well (MQW) and light emitting diode (LED) structures grown on Si(111) substrates by metal-organic vapor phase epitaxy was measured and compared with equivalent structures on sapphire. The crystalline quality of the LED structures was comprehensively characterized using x-ray diffraction, atomic force microscopy, and plan-view transmission electron microscopy. A room temperature photoluminescence (PL) internal quantum efficiency (IQE) as high as 58% has been achieved in an InGaN/GaN MQW on Si, emitting at 460 nm. This is the highest reported PL-IQE of a c-plane GaN-based MQW on Si, and the radiative efficiency of this sample compares well with similar structures grown on sapphire. Processed LED devices on Si also show good electroluminescence (EL) performance, including a forward bias voltage of ∼3.5 V at 20 mA and a light output power of 1 mW at 45 mA from a 500×500 μm2 planar device without the use of any additional techniques to enhance the output cou...

Anti-phase domains in cubic GaN

The existence of anti-phase domains in cubic GaN grown on 3C-SiC/Si (001) substrates by plasma-assisted molecular beam epitaxy is reported. The influence of the 3C-SiC/Si (001) substrate morphology is studied with emphasis on the anti-phase domains (APDs). The GaN nucleation is governed by the APDs of the substrate, resulting in equal plane orientation and the same anti-phase boundaries. The presence of the APDs is independent of the GaN layer thickness. Atomic force microscopy surface analysis indicates lateral growth anisotropy of GaN facets in dependence of the APD orientation. This anisotropy can be linked to Ga and N face types of the {111} planes, similar to observations of anisotropic growth in 3C-SiC. In contrast to 3C-SiC, however, a difference in GaN phase composition for the two types of APDs can be measured by electron backscatter diffraction, μ-Raman and cathodoluminescence spectroscopy.

Formation and annealing of periodically arranged amorphous SiCx nanoclusters in silicon

Abstract The formation of a continuous amorphous layer upon high-dose carbon implantation into silicon at elevated temperatures is preceded by the formation of periodically arranged amorphous SiC x nanoclusters and lamellae. The dose and temperature dependence of their formation and the annealing behavior is studied after 180 keV C + implantations at temperatures of 150–350 °C and doses of 1– 9×10 17 C / cm 2 mainly by cross-sectional transmission electron microscopy (XTEM). Annealing of the nanoclusters at temperatures closely above the crystallization temperature of SiC is shown to result in the partial recrystallization of lamellae into chains of spherical SiC x nanoclusters and in the formation of cavities and crystalline inclusions. The observations are discussed on the basis of a simple model.

Characterization of unintentional doping in nonpolar GaN

Unintentional doping in nonpolar a-plane (112¯0) gallium nitride (GaN) grown on r-plane (11¯02) sapphire using a three-dimensional (3D)–two-dimensional (2D) growth method has been characterized. For both 2D only and 3D–2D growth, the presence of an unintentionally doped region adjacent to the GaN/sapphire interface is observed by scanning capacitance microscopy (SCM). The average width of this unintentionally doped layer is found to increase with increasing 3D growth time. By using an intentionally doped GaN:Si staircase structure for calibration, it is shown that the unintentionally doped region has an average carrier concentration of (2.5±0.3)×1018 cm−3. SCM also reveals the presence of unintentionally doped features extending at 60° from the GaN/sapphire interface. The observation of decreasing carrier concentration with distance from the GaN/sapphire interface along these features may suggest that the unintentional doping arises from oxygen diffusion from the sapphire substrate. Low temperature cathod...