S. Gautier

Use of ZnO thin films as sacrificial templates for metal organic vapor phase epitaxy and chemical lift-off of GaN

Continued development of GaN-based light emitting diodes is being hampered by constraints imposed by current non-native substrates. ZnO is a promising alternative substrate but it decomposes under the conditions used in conventional GaN metal organic vapor phase epitaxy (MOVPE). In this work, GaN was grown on ZnO/c-Al2O3 using low temperature/pressure MOVPE with N2 as a carrier and dimethylhydrazine as a N source. Characterization confirmed the epitaxial growth of GaN. The GaN was lifted-off the c-Al2O3 by chemically etching away the ZnO underlayer. This approach opens up the way for bonding of the GaN onto a support of choice.

Bandgap bowing in BGaN thin films

We report on the bandgap variation in thin films of BxGa1−xN grown on AlN/sapphire substrates using metal-organic vapor phase epitaxy. Optical transmission, photoluminescence, and x-ray diffraction were utilized to characterize the materials’ properties of the BxGa1−xN films. In contrast to the common expectation for the bandgap variation, which is based on the linear interpolation between the corresponding GaN and BN values, a significant bowing (C=9.2±0.5 eV) of the bandgap was observed. A decrease in the optical bandgap by 150 meV with respect to that of GaN was measured for the increase in the boron composition from 0% to 1.8%.We report on the bandgap variation in thin films of BxGa1−xN grown on AlN/sapphire substrates using metal-organic vapor phase epitaxy. Optical transmission, photoluminescence, and x-ray diffraction were utilized to characterize the materials’ properties of the BxGa1−xN films. In contrast to the common expectation for the bandgap variation, which is based on the linear interpolation between the corresponding GaN and BN values, a significant bowing (C=9.2±0.5 eV) of the bandgap was observed. A decrease in the optical bandgap by 150 meV with respect to that of GaN was measured for the increase in the boron composition from 0% to 1.8%.

Near milliwatt power AlGaN-based ultraviolet light emitting diodes based on lateral epitaxial overgrowth of AlN on Si(111)

We report on the growth, fabrication, and device characterization of AlGaN-based thin-film ultraviolet (UV) (λ ∼ 359 nm) light emitting diodes (LEDs). First, AlN/Si(111) template is patterned. Then, a fully coalesced 7-μm-thick lateral epitaxial overgrowth (LEO) of AlN layer is realized on patterned AlN/Si(111) template followed by UV LED epi-regrowth. Metalorganic chemical vapor deposition is employed to optimize LEO AlN and UV LED epitaxy. Back-emission UV LEDs are fabricated and flip-chip bonded to AlN heat sinks followed by Si(111) substrate removal. A peak pulsed power and slope efficiency of ∼0.6 mW and ∼1.3 μW/mA are demonstrated from these thin-film UV LEDs, respectively. For comparison, top-emission UV LEDs are fabricated and back-emission LEDs are shown to extract 50% more light than top-emission ones.

Nanometer-scale, quantitative composition mappings of InGaN layers from a combination of scanning transmission electron microscopy and energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy

Using elastic scattering theory we show that a small set of energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy (EDX) measurements is sufficient to experimentally evaluate the scattering function of electrons in high-angle annular dark field scanning transmission microscopy (HAADF-STEM). We then demonstrate how to use this function to transform qualitative HAADF-STEM images of InGaN layers into precise, quantitative chemical maps of the indium composition. The maps obtained in this way combine the resolution of HAADF-STEM and the chemical precision of EDX. We illustrate the potential of such chemical maps by using them to investigate nanometer-scale fluctuations in the indium composition and their impact on the growth of epitaxial InGaN layers.

Distributed Bragg reflectors based on diluted boron-based BAlN alloys for deep ultraviolet optoelectronic applications

Highly reflective deep UV distributed Bragg reflectors (DBRs) based on the BAlN material system have been grown by metalorganic vapour phase epitaxy on AlN template substrates. These structures make use of the transparency of BAlN in the deep UV and the high refractive index contrast between BAlN and AlN, which has been demonstrated to exceed 0.27 at 280 nm. 18-pair BAlN/AlN DBRs showed experimental peak reflectivity of 82% at 311 nm and a stop-bandwidth of 20 nm. At 282 nm, a 24-pair BAlN/AlN DBR structure is demonstrated with experimental peak reflectivity of 60% and stop-bandwidth of 16 nm.

Solar blind metal-semiconductor-metal ultraviolet photodetectors using quasi-alloy of BGaN/GaN superlattices

Large internal gains that can be obtained in wide band gap semiconductors-based (GaN and ZnO types) Schottky and/or metal-semiconductor-metal photodetectors are generally accompanied by large dark current and time response. We show that, using quasi-alloy of BGaN/GaN superlattices as the active layer, the dark current can be lowered while maintaining high internal gain (up to 3 × 104) for optical power in the nW range and low time response (few tens of ns) for optical power in the W range. Furthermore, the boron incorporation allows the tuning of the cutoff wavelength.

Crack-free AlGaN for solar-blind focal plane arrays through reduced area epitaxy

We report on crack reduction for solar-blind ultraviolet detectors via the use of a reduced area epitaxy (RAE) method to regrow on patterned AlN templates. With the RAE method, a pre-deposited AlN template is patterned into isolated mesas in order to reduce the formation of cracks in the subsequently grown high Al-content AlxGa1−xN structure. By restricting the lateral dimensions of the epitaxial growth area, the biaxial strain is relaxed by the edges of the patterned squares, which resulted in ∼97% of the pixels being crack-free. After successful implementation of RAE method, we studied the optical characteristics, the external quantum efficiency, and responsivity of average pixel-sized detectors of the patterned sample increased from 38% and 86.2 mA/W to 57% and 129.4 mA/W, respectively, as the reverse bias is increased from 0 V to 5 V. Finally, we discussed the possibility of extending this approach for focal plane array, where crack-free large area material is necessary for high quality imaging.

Dual-purpose BGaN layers on performance of nitride-based high electron mobility transistors

A GaN/ultrathin BGaN/GaN heterojunction is used in AlGaN/GaN high electron mobility transistors (HEMTs) to provide an electrostatic barrier to electrons and to improve the confinement of the 2-dimensional electron gas. BGaN back-barrier layers limit leakage in the GaN buffer thanks to two effects: a polarization-induced band discontinuity and a resistive barrier originating from excellent insulation properties of BGaN. Compared to conventional AlGaN/GaN HEMTs, structures grown with BGaN back-barrier showed a significant improvement of static performances, transport properties, and trapping effects involving a limited current collapse in dynamic regime. A DC maximum current increase of 58.7% was observed.

Novel process for direct bonding of GaN onto glass substrates using sacrificial ZnO template layers to chemically lift-off GaN from c-sapphire

GaN was grown on ZnO-buffered c-sapphire (c-Al2O3) substrates by Metal Organic Vapor Phase Epitaxy. The ZnO then served as a sacrificial release layer, allowing chemical lift-off of the GaN from the c-Al2O3 substrate via selective wet etching of the ZnO. The GaN was subsequently direct-wafer-bonded onto a glass substrate. X-Ray Diffraction, Scanning Electron Microscopy, Energy Dispersive X-ray microanalysis, Room Temperature Photoluminescence & optical microscopy confirmed bonding of several mm2 of crack-free wurtzite GaN films onto a soda lime glass microscope slide with no obvious deterioration of the GaN morphology. Using such an approach, InGaN based devices can be lifted-off expensive single crystal substrates and bonded onto supports with a better cost-performance profile. Moreover, the approach offers the possibility of reclaiming and reusing the substrate.

Wafer-scale epitaxial lift-off of optoelectronic grade GaN from a GaN substrate using a sacrificial ZnO interlayer

Full 2 inch GaN epilayers were lifted off GaN and c-sapphire substrates by preferential chemical dissolution of sacrificial ZnO underlayers. Modification of the standard epitaxial lift-off (ELO) process by supporting the wax host with a glass substrate proved key in enabling full wafer scale-up. Scanning electron microscopy and x-ray diffraction confirmed that intact epitaxial GaN had been transferred to the glass host. Depth-resolved cathodoluminescence (CL) analysis of the bottom surface of the lifted-off GaN layer revealed strong near-band-edge (3.33 eV) emission indicating a superior optical quality for the GaN which was lifted off the GaN substrate. This modified ELO approach demonstrates that previous theories proposing that wax host curling was necessary to keep the ELO etch channel open do not apply to the GaN/ZnO system. The unprecedented full wafer transfer of epitaxial GaN to an alternative support by ELO offers the perspective of accelerating industrial adoption of the expensive GaN substrate through cost-reducing recycling.