M. Seyboth

Transient characteristics of GaN-based heterostructure field-effect transistors

DC current-switching and power-switching transients of various GaN-based FET structures are investigated. Two different characteristics are compared, namely, thermal and electronic transients. While the thermal transients are mainly reflected in changes in channel carrier mobility, the electronic transients are dominated by charge instabilities caused by the polar nature of the material. The discussion of the electronic transients focuses, therefore, on instabilities caused by polarization-induced image charges. Three structures are discussed, which are: 1) a conventional AlGaN/GaN heterostructure FET; 2) an InGaN-channel FET; and 3) an AlGaN/GaN double-barrier structure. In structures 2) and 3), field-induced image charges are substituted by doping impurities, eliminating this source of related instability. This is indeed observed.

Extraction Efficiency of GaN-Based LEDs

In this work, we investigate the extraction efficiency for UV emitting rectangular 300 x 300 μm 2 gallium nitride (GaN) based light emitting diodes (LEDs) by simulation with a raytracer tool. It is shown that the extraction efficiency depends strongly on slight variations of the absorption in the GaN layers. Furthermore, the influence of the substrate shape is studied. For standard rectangular sapphire substrate based LEDs the calculated extraction efficiency is 12.4%, whereas for silicon carbide substrate based devices the higher refractive index causes a lower efficiency (4.5%). Using a shaped SiC substrate the extraction efficiency can be improved to 17.2% and 19.9% for a sapphire substrate. The influence of geometric design parameters like sidewall angle are analyzed as well.

Absorption and light scattering in InGaN-on-sapphire- and AlGaInP-based light-emitting diodes

Different experimental and simulation techniques aiming at a better understanding of lateral mode absorption in light-emitting diodes (LEDs) are presented in this paper. A measurement of transmitted power versus propagation distance allows us to derive the absorption losses of LED layer structures at their emission wavelength. Two models for the observed intensity distribution are presented: one is based on scattering, whereas the other relies on selective absorption. Both models were applied to InGaN-on-sapphire-based LED structures. Material absorption losses of 7 cm/sup -1/ for the scattering model and 4 cm/sup -1/ for the absorbing-layer model were obtained. Furthermore, these values are independent of the emission wavelength of the layer structure in the 403-433-nm range. The losses are most likely caused by a thin highly absorbing layer at the interface to the substrate. In a second step, interference of the modal field profile with the absorbing layer can be used to determine its thickness (d=75 nm) and its absorption coefficient (/spl alpha/ /spl ap/ 3900 cm/sup -1/). This method has also been tested and applied on AlGaInP-based layer structures emitting at 650 nm. In this case, the intensity decay of /spl alpha/=30 cm/sup -1/ includes a contribution from the absorbing substrate.

Influence of growth parameters on crack density in thick epitaxially lateral overgrown GaN layers by hydride vapor phase epitaxy

Using hydride vapor phase epitaxy the influence of growth parameters on the crack density is studied for thick epitaxially lateral overgrown (ELOG) GaN layers. Reactor pressure, growth rate, and substrate temperature are key factors to obtain crack-free thick GaN layers The cracking mechanism is discussed and void formation on top of the SiO 2 stripes is proposed to play a key role in stress relaxation and crack suppression.

Substrates for wide bandgap nitrides

Different substrates for gallium nitride growth are discussed. The commercially relevant substrates, silicon carbide and sapphire, and the two most promising alternatives, silicon and gallium nitride, are compared in terms of suitability for epitaxial processes and in their effects on devices. An estimation on future market success is given.

Low resistive p-type GaN using two-step rapid thermal annealing processes

Two-step thermal annealing processes were investigated for electrical activation of magnesium- doped galliumnitride layers. The samples were studied by room-temperature Hall measurements and photoluminescence spectroscopy at 16 K. After an annealing process consisting of a short-term step at 960 °C followed by a 600 °C dwell step for 5 min a resistivity as low as 0.84 Ω cm is achieved for the activated sample, which improves the results achieved by standard annealing (800 °C for 10 min) by 25% in resistivity and 100% in free hole concentration. Photoluminescence shows a peak centered at 3.0 eV, which is typical for Mg-doped samples with high free hole concentrations.

Absorption of guided modes in light emitting diodes

The absorption of lateral guided modes in light emitting diodes is determined by the photocurrent measurement method. A theory for waveguide dispersion is presented and extended by ray-tracing simulations. Absorption coefficients of InGaN-on-sapphire and AlGaInP-based structures is evaluated by comparison with simulation curves. For nitride-based samples with emission wavelengths of 415 nm and 441 nm an absorption of 7 cm-1 is obtained. It is found that scattering is present in the buffer layer and influences the lateral intensity distribution. The investigated AlGaInP-based sample exhibits an absorption of α = 30 cm-1 at 650 nm emission wavelength.

Three-dimensional imaging of ELOG growth domains by scanning cathodoluminescence tomography

Columnar ELOG growth domains formed in a 65 μm thick HVPE GaN layer during overgrowth of hexagonal SiO 2 masks are three-dimensionally characterized using spatially and spectrally resolved scanning cathodoluminescence (CL) microscopy. In conjunction with cross-sectional imaging perpendicular to the c-plane, a direct visualization of the 3D domain formation is achieved by consecutive vertical series of CL mappings parallel to the c-plane. A perfect agreement between the local luminescence properties and the evolution of the local free carrier concentration during the different stages of overgrowth is confirmed by micro-Raman measurements. While mask-periodic domains with specific optical and electronic properties are observed for initial growth, homogeneously high crystal quality at the sample surface is evidenced.

Multiple-step annealing for 50% enhanced p-conductivity of GaN

In this article, multiple-step rapid thermal annealing (RTA) processes for the activation of Mg doped GaN are compared with conventional single-step RTA processes. The investigated multiple-step processes consist of a low temperature annealing step at temperatures between 350 C and 700 C with dwell times up to 5 min and a short time high temperature step. With optimized process parameters, and multiple-step processes, we achieved p-type free carrier concentrations up to 1-2 × 10 18 cm 3 . The best achieved conductivity, so far, lies at 1.2Ω 1 cm 1 This is a 50% improvement compared to conventional single-step process at 800°C, 10 min.

Hydride Vapour Phase Epitaxy Growth of GaN Layers under Reduced Reactor Pressure

In this paper, Hydride Vapour Phase Epitaxy (HVPE) of GaN layers under reduced pressures is reported. First results show that the HVPE grown GaN layers exhibit excellent electrical, crystallographic and optical quality. By reducing the reactor pressure from 950 to 250 mbar, improvements in background doping (down to 2 × 1016 cm—3) and Hall mobility (up to 300 cm2/Vs) are observed. Experiments on MOVPE overgrowth on HVPE GaN layers show excellent results. Low temperature PL spectra of the overgrowth MOVPE layer reveal all three free exciton levels (FE A, FE B, FE C) without any visible bound excitons.