Renaud Puybaret

Nanoscale selective area growth of thick, dense, uniform, In-rich, InGaN nanostructure arrays on GaN/sapphire template

Uniform, dense, single-phase, 150 nm thick indium gallium nitride (InGaN) nanostructure (nanorods and nanostripes) arrays have been obtained on gallium nitride templates, by metal organic chemical vapor deposition and nanoscale selective area growth on silicon dioxide patterned masks. The 150 nm thick InGaN nanorods have a perfect hexagonal pyramid shape with relatively homogenous indium concentration up to 22%, which is almost twice as high as in planar InGaN grown in the same condition, and luminesce at 535 nm. InGaN nanostripes feature c-axis oriented InGaN in the core which is covered by InGaN grown along semi-polar facets with higher In content. Transmission electron microscope and sub micron beam X-rays diffraction investigations confirm that both InGaN nanostructures are mostly defect free and monocrystalline. The ability to grow defect-free thick InGaN nanostructures with reduced polarization and high indium incorporation offers a solution to develop high efficiency InGaN-based solar cells.

Nanoselective area growth and characterization of dislocation-free InGaN nanopyramids on AlN buffered Si(111) templates

We report the metal organic chemical vapor deposition growth of dislocation-free 100 nm thick hexagonal InGaN nanopyramid arrays with up to 33% of indium content by nano-selective area growth on patterned AlN/Si (111) substrates. InGaN grown on SiO2 patterned templates exhibit high selectivity. Their single crystal structure is confirmed by scanning transmission electron microscope combined with an energy dispersive X-ray analysis, which also reveals the absence of threading dislocations in the InGaN nanopyramids due to elastic strain relaxation mechanisms. Cathodoluminescence measurements on a single InGaN nanopyramid clearly show an improvement of the optical properties when compared to planar InGaN grown under the same conditions. The good structural, morphological, and optical quality of the InGaN nanostructures grown on AlN/Si indicates that the nano-selective area growth technology is attractive for the realization of site-controlled indium-rich InGaN nanostructure-based devices and can also be tran...

Scalable control of graphene growth on 4H-SiC C-face using decomposing silicon nitride masks

Selective epitaxial graphene growth is achieved in pre-selected areas on the 4H-SiC C-face with a SiN masking method. The mask decomposes during the growth process leaving a clean, resist free, high temperature annealed graphene surface, in a one-step process. Depending on the off-stoichiometry composition of a Si3 + xN4 mask evaporated on SiC prior to graphitization, the number of layers on the C-face increases (Si-rich) or decreases (N-rich). Graphene grown in masked areas shows excellent quality as observed by Raman spectroscopy, atomic force microscopy and transport data.

Nanoselective area growth of GaN by metalorganic vapor phase epitaxy on 4H-SiC using epitaxial graphene as a mask

We report the growth of high-quality triangular GaN nanomesas, 30-nm thick, on the C-face of 4H-SiC using nano selective area growth (NSAG) with patterned epitaxial graphene grown on SiC as an embedded mask. NSAG alleviates the problems of defective crystals in the heteroepitaxial growth of nitrides, and the high mobility graphene film can readily provide the back low-dissipative electrode in GaN-based optoelectronic devices. The process consists in first growing a 5-8 graphene layers film on the C-face of 4H- SiC by confinement-controlled sublimation of silicon carbide. The graphene film is then patterned and arrays of 75-nanometer-wide openings are etched in graphene revealing the SiC substrate. 30-nanometer-thick GaN is subsequently grown by metal organic vapor phase epitaxy. GaN nanomesas grow epitaxially with perfect selectivity on SiC, in openings patterned through graphene, with no nucleation on graphene. The up-or-down orientation of the mesas on SiC, their triangular faceting, and cross-sectional scanning transmission electron microscopy show that they are biphasic. The core is a zinc blende monocrystal surrounded with single-crystal hexagonal wurtzite. The GaN crystalline nanomesas have no threading dislocations, and do not show any V-pit. This NSAG process potentially leads to integration of high-quality III-nitrides on the wafer scalable epitaxial graphene / silicon carbide platform.

Chapter 6: Epitaxial Graphene on SiC: 2D Sheets, Selective Growth, and Nanoribbons

Epitaxial graphene grown on SiC by the confinement controlled sublimation method is reviewed, with an emphasis on multilayer and monolayer epitaxial graphene on the carbon face of 4H-SiC and on directed and selectively grown structures under growth-arresting or growth-enhancing masks. Recent developments in the growth of templated graphene nanostructures are also presented, as exemplified by tens of micron long very well confined and isolated 20-40nm wide graphene ribbons. Scheme for large scale integration of ribbon arrays with Si wafer is also presented.

Nanoselective area growth of defect-free thick indium-rich InGaN nanostructures on sacrificial ZnO templates

Nanoselective area growth (NSAG) by metal organic vapor phase epitaxy of high-quality InGaN nanopyramids on GaN-coated ZnO/c-sapphire is reported. Nanopyramids grown on epitaxial low-temperature GaN-on-ZnO are uniform and appear to be single crystalline, as well as free of dislocations and V-pits. They are also indium-rich (with homogeneous 22% indium incorporation) and relatively thick (100 nm). These properties make them comparable to nanostructures grown on GaN and AlN/Si templates, in terms of crystallinity, quality, morphology, chemical composition and thickness. Moreover, the ability to selectively etch away the ZnO allows for the potential lift-off and transfer of the InGaN/GaN nanopyramids onto alternative substrates, e.g. cheaper and/or flexible. This technology offers an attractive alternative to NSAG on AlN/Si as a platform for the fabrication of high quality, thick and indium-rich InGaN monocrystals suitable for cheap, flexible and tunable light-emitting diodes.

Investigation of new approaches for InGaN growth with high indium content for CPV application

We propose to use two new approaches that may overcome the issues of phase separation and high dislocation density in InGaN-based PIN solar cells. The first approach consists in the growth of a thick multi-layered InGaN/GaN absorber. The periodical insertion of the thin GaN interlayers should absorb the In excess and relieve compressive strain. The InGaN layers need to be thin enough to remain fully strained and without phase separation. The second approach consists in the growth of InGaN nano-structures for the achievement of high In content thick InGaN layers. It allows the elimination of the preexisting dislocations in the underlying template. It also allows strain relaxation of InGaN layers without any dislocations, leading to higher In incorporation and reduced piezo-electric effect. The two approaches lead to structural, morphological, and luminescence properties that are significantly improved when compared to those of thick InGaN layers. Corresponding full PIN structures have been realized by growing a p-type GaN layer on the top the half PIN structures. External quantum efficiency, electro-luminescence, and photo-current characterizations have been carried out on the different structures and reveal an enhancement of the performances of the InGaN PIN PV cells when the thick InGaN layer is replaced by either InGaN/GaN multi-layered or InGaN nanorod layer.