T. V. Malin

Characterization of the green band in photoluminescence spectra of heavily doped Al x Ga1− x N:Si with the Al content x > 0.5

We report time-resolved and temperature-dependent photoluminescence investigations of green photoluminescence in heavily doped Al x Ga1− x N:Si films grown by molecular beam epitaxy on sapphire substrates. The green band dominates in the photoluminescence spectra of Al x Ga1− x N:Si films with the Al content higher than 0.5. This band is attributed to donor–acceptor and free electron–acceptor transitions involving the same acceptor. Donor and acceptor binding energies of about 50 and 930 meV, respectively, were obtained. The donor was assigned to the Si atom on the Ga/Al site; the acceptor might be the C atom on the N site or a complex comprising a Ga/Al vacancy and a shallow donor.

Electron scattering in AlGaN/GaN heterostructures with a two-dimensional electron gas

The temperature and concentration dependences of electron mobility in AlGaN/GaN hetero-structures are studied. The mobility for the samples under study at T = 300 K lies in the range of 450–1740 cm2/(V s). It is established that scattering at charged centers is dominant for samples with low mobility (lower than 1000 cm2/(V s) right up to room temperature. These centers are associated with a disordered piezoelectric charge at the heterointerface because of its roughness or with a piezoelectric charge similarly to the Al-GaN barrier because of alloy disorder, as well as with the deformation field around dislocations. Scattering at optical phonons is dominant for samples with mobility exceeding 1000 cm2/(V s) at T = 300 K. Scattering at alloy disorders, heterointerface roughness, and dislocations are dominant at temperatures lower than 200 K. A decrease in the influence of scattering at roughness with improvement of the heterointerface morphology increases room-temperature mobility from 1400 cm2/(V s) to 1700 cm2/(V s).

Defects and stresses in MBE-grown GaN and Al0.3Ga0.7N layers doped by silicon using silane

The electric and structural characteristics of silicon-doped GaN and Al0.3Ga0.7N layers grown by molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) using silane have been analyzed by the Hall effect, Raman spectroscopy, and high-resolution X-ray diffractometry. It is established that the electron concentration linearly increases up to n = 4 × 1020 cm−3 with an increase in the silane flow rate for GaN:Si, whereas the corresponding dependence for Al0.3Ga0.7N:Si is sublinear and the maximum electron concentration is found to be n = 4 × 1019 cm−3. X-ray measurements of sample macrobending indicate a decrease in biaxial compressive stress with an increase in the electron concentration in both GaN:Si and Al0.3Ga0.7N:Si layers. The parameters of the dislocation structure, estimated from the measured broadenings of X-ray reflections, are analyzed.

Diffusion and Deformations in Heterosystems with GaN/AlN Superlattices, According to Data from EXAFS Spectroscopy

Multilayered samples with extremely narrow GaN quantum wells in an AlN host are synthesized via ammonia MBE. The parameters of the microstructure are determined by means of EXAFS spectroscopy, high-resolution electron microscopy, and low-angle scattering. Their relationship to the morphology of GaN/AlN superlattices is established. The influence of growth conditions and the thickness of superlattices on their optical properties and mixing in the near-boundary layers is established.

MBE-grown AlGaN/GaN heterostructures for UV photodetectors

The MBE synthesis of AlGaN/GaN semiconductor heterostructures intended for UV photodetectors is considered. A technique for growing AlGaN layers and multilayered heterostructures is developed. It includes the nitridization of the sapphire substrate surface, the formation of a seed layer, and the growth of a buffer layer and undoped and doped AlGaN layers of different composition. The influence of growth conditions on the surface morphology, density of threading dislocations and other structural defects, and electrophysical and optical properties of individual AlGaN layers and respective heterostructures for UV photodetectors is investigated. The mathematical simulation of p-i-n photodiodes is made, and a process route for fabrication of AlGaN heterostructures is developed. Test AlGaN p-i-n photodiodes are prepared, and their performance is investigated.

Decrease in the binding energy of donors in heavily doped GaN:Si layers

The properties of Si-doped GaN layers grown by molecular-beam epitaxy from ammonia are studied by photoluminescence spectroscopy. It is shown that the low-temperature photoluminescence is due to the recombination of excitons bound to donors at Si-atom concentrations below 1019 cm−3. At a Si-atom concentration of 1.6 × 1019 cm−3, the band of free excitons is dominant in the photoluminescence spectrum; in more heavily doped layers, the interband recombination band is dominant. A reduction in the binding energy of exciton-donor complexes with increasing doping level is observed. With the use of Haynes rule, whereby the binding energy of the complex in GaN is 0.2 of the donor ionization energy ED, it is shown that ED decreases with increasing Si concentration. This effect is described by the dependence {ie1134-1}, where EDotp is the ionization energy of an individual Si atom in GaN. The coefficient that describes a decrease in the depth of the impurity-band edge with increasing Si concentration is found to be α = 8.4 × 10−6 meV cm−1.

Growth of AlGaN/GaN heterostructures with a two-dimensional electron gas on AlN/Al2O3 substrates

The possibility of using AlN/Al2O3 substrates to grow AlGaN/GaN hetero-epitaxial structures with a two-dimensional electron gas is studied. A method of calibrating the temperature of the substrates by measuring the thermal radiation spectrum is proposed. Differences between AlN/Al2O3 substrates that lead to differences in the electrophysical parameters of the grown structures are determined. AlN/Al2O3 substrates were used to grow AlGaN/GaN samples with a two-dimensional electron gas mobility in excess of 1300 cm2/(V · s) at an electron concentration in the channel higher than 1013 cm−2.

Effect of the Sapphire-Nitridation Level and Nucleation-Layer Enrichment with Aluminum on the Structural Properties of AlN Layers

The effect of atomic aluminum deposited onto sapphire substrates with different nitridation levels on the quality of AlN layers grown by ammonia molecular-beam epitaxy is investigated. The nitridation of sapphire with the formation of ~1 monolayer of AlN is shown to ensure the growth of layers with a smoother surface and better crystal quality than in the case of the formation of a nitrided AlN layer with a thickness of ~2 monolayers. It is demonstrated that the change in the duration of exposure of nitrided substrates to the atomic aluminum flux does not significantly affect the parameters of subsequent AlN layers.

Change in the Character of Biaxial Stresses with an Increase in x from 0 to 0.7 in Al x Ga 1 – x N:Si Layers Obtained by Ammonia Molecular Beam Epitaxy

The deformation mode and defect structure of AlxGa1 – xN:Si epitaxial layers (x = 0–0.7) grown by molecular beam epitaxy and doped with Si under a constant silane flux are studied by X-ray diffractometry. The concentration of Si atoms in the layers measured by secondary ion mass spectrometry is (4.0–8.0) × 1019 cm–3. It is found that the lateral residual stresses are compressive at x < 0.4 and become tensile at x > 0.4. The stresses after the end of growth are estimated and the contribution to the deformation mode of the layers of both the coalescence of nuclei of the growing layer and misfit stresses in the layer–buffer system are discussed. It is found that the density of vertical screw and edge dislocations are maximal at x = 0.7 and equal to 1.5 × 1010 and 8.2 × 1010 cm–2, respectively.

AlN/GaN heterostructures for normally-off transistors

The structure of AlN/GaN heterostructures with an ultrathin AlN barrier is calculated for normally-off transistors. The molecular-beam epitaxy technology of in situ passivated SiN/AlN/GaN heterostructures with a two-dimensional electron gas is developed. Normally-off transistors with a maximum current density of ~1 A/mm, a saturation voltage of 1 V, a transconductance of 350 mS/mm, and a breakdown voltage of more than 60 V are demonstrated. Gate lag and drain lag effects are almost lacking in these transistors.