Growth behavior of AlInGaN films

The structural and surface properties of AlInGaN quaternary films grown at different temperatures on GaN templates by metalorganic chemical vapor deposition are investigated. Formation of two quaternary layers is confirmed and the difference between them is pronounced when the growth temperature is increased. The surface is featured with V-shaped pits and cracks, whose characteristics are further found to be strongly dependent on the growth temperature of AlInGaN layers. The two-layer structure is interpreted by taking into account of the strain status in AlInGaN layers. (C) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The effect of single AlGaN interlayer on the structural properties of GaN epilayers grown on Si (111) substrates

High-quality and nearly crack-free GaN epitaxial layer was obtained by inserting a single AlGaN interlayer between GaN epilayer and high-temperature AlN buffer layer on Si (111) substrate by metalorganic chemical vapor deposition. This paper investigates the effect of AlGaN interlayer on the structural proper-ties of the resulting GaN epilayer. It confirms from the optical microscopy and Raman scattering spectroscopy that the AlGaN interlayer has a remarkable effect on introducing relative compressive strain to the top GaN layer and preventing the formation of cracks. X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy analysis reveal that a significant reduction in both screw and edge threading dislocations is achieved in GaN epilayer by the insertion of AlGaN interlayer. The process of threading dislocation reduction in both AlGaN interlayer and GaN epilayer is demonstrated.

Growth of crack-free GaN films on Si(111) substrate by using Al-rich AlN buffer layer

GaN epilayers were grown on Si(111) substrate by metalorganic chemical vapor deposition. By using the Al-rich AlN buffer which contains Al beyond stoichiometry, crack-free GaN epilayers with 1 mum thickness were obtained. Through x-ray diffraction (XRD) and secondary ion mass spectroscopy analyses, it was found that a lot of Al atoms have diffused into the under part of the GaN epilayer from the Al-rich AlN buffer, which results in the formation of an AlxGa1-xN layer at least with 300 nm thickness in the 1 mum thick GaN epilayer. The Al fraction x was estimated by XRD to be about 2.5%. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy depth analysis was also applied to investigate the stoichiometry in the Al-rich buffer before GaN growth. It is suggested that the underlayer AlxGa1-xN originated from Al diffusion probably provides a compressive stress to the upper part of the GaN epilayer, which counterbalances a part of tensile stress in the GaN epilayer during cooling down and consequently reduces the cracks of the film effectively. The method using the Al diffusion effect to form a thick AlGaN layer is really feasible to achieve the crack-free GaN films and obtain a high crystal quality simultaneously. (C) 2004 American Institute of Physics.

Reduction of tensile stress in GaN grown on Si(111) by inserting a low-temperature AlN interlayer

This study describes the growth of a low-temperature AlN interlayer for crack-free GaN growth on Si(111). It is demonstrated that, in addition to the lower growth temperature, growth of the AlN interlayer under Al-rich conditions is a critical factor for crack-free GaN growth on Si(111) substrates. The effect of the AlN interlayer thickness and NH3/TMA1 ratios on the lattice constants of subsequently grown high temperature GaN was investigated by X-ray triple crystal diffraction. The results show that the elimination of micro-cracks is related to the reduction of the tensile stress in the GaN epitaxial layers. This was also coincident with a greater number of pits formed in the AlN interlayer grown under Al rich conditions. It is proposed that these pits act as centers for the generation of misfit dislocations, which in turn leads to the reduction of tensile stress. (C) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Growth of crack-free AlGaN film on thin AlN interlayer by MOCVD

We have studied the effect of low-temperature-deposited (LT) and high-temperature-deposited (FIT) AlN interlayer with various thickness on AlGaN film grown on GaN using c-plane sapphire as substrate. All the Al0.25Ga0.75N films thicker than 1 mum with LT-AlN interlayer or with HT-AlN interlayer were free of cracks, however, their surfaces were different: the Al0.25Ga0.75N films with LT-AlN interlayer showed smooth surface, while those with HT-AlN interlayer exhibit rough surface morphology. The results of X-ray double crystal diffraction and Rutherford backscattering showed that all of the AlGaN films were under compressive strain in the parallel direction. The compressive strain resulted from the effect of interlayer-induced stress relieving and the thermal mismatch for the samples with LT-AlN interlayer, and it was due to the thermal mismatch between AlGaN and the underlying layers for those with HT-AlN interlayer. (C) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Crack-free GaN/Si(111) epitaxial layers grown with InAlGaN alloy as compliant interlayer by metalorganic chemical vapor deposition

A new method is demonstrated to be effective in reducing mismatch-induced tensile stress and suppressing the formation of cracks by inserting InAlGaN interlayers during the growth of GaN upon Si (1 1 1) substrate. Compared with GaN film without quaternary interlayer, GaN layer grown on InAlGaN compliant layers shows a five times brighter integrated PL intensity and a (0 0 0 2) High-resolution X-ray diffraction (HRXRD) curve width of 18 arcmin. Its chi(min), derived from Rutherford backscattering spectrometry (RBS), is about 2.0%, which means that the crystalline quality of this layer is very good. Quaternary InAlGaN layers, which are used as buffer layers firstly, can play a compliant role to endure the large mismatch-induced stress and reduce cracks during the growth of GaN epitaxy. The mechanisms leading to crack density reduction are investigated and results show that the phase immiscibility and the weak In-N bond make interlayer to offer tenability in the lattice parameters and release the thermal stress. (c) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Crack-free InAlGaN quaternary alloy films grown on Si(111) substrate by metalorganic chemical vapor deposition

Crack-free In0.08Al0.25Ga0.67N quaternary films, with and without thick (> 1.5 mum) high-temperature-GaN (HTGaN) interlayer, have been grown on Si(1 1 1) substrates by a low-pressure metalorganic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) system. Mole fractions of In and Al in quaternary alloy layers are determined by Energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) and Rutherford backscattering spectrometry (RBS), which are recorded as similar to8% and similar to25-27%, respectively. High-resolution X-ray diffraction (HRXRD) and room temperature photoluminescence (RT-PL) results evidence the film's single crystal structure and the existence of local In- and/or Al-rich regions. Compared with GaN film grwon on Si(1 1 1) substrate, no crack is observed in the quaternary ones. Two explanations are proposed. First, mismatch-induced strain is relaxed significantly due to gradual changes of In concentration. Second, the weak In-N bond is likely to break when the sample is cooled down to the room temperature, which is expected to favor the releasing of thermal stress. (C) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Effects of buffer layers on the stress and morphology of GaN epilayer grown on Si substrate by MOCVD

Low temperature (LT) AlN interlayer and insertion of superlattice are two effective methods to reduce crack and defects for GaN grown on Si substrate. In this paper, the influence of two kinds of buffer on stress, morphology and defects of GaN/Si are studied and discussed. The results measured by optical microscope and Raman shift show that insertion of superlattice is more effective than insertion of LT-AlN in preventing the formation of cracks in GaN grown on Si substrate. Cross-sectional TEM images show that the not only screw but edge-type dislocation densities are greatly reduced by using the superlattice buffer. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The growth of high-Al-content InAlGaN quaternary alloys by RF-MBE

High-Al-content InxAlyGa1-x-yN (x = 1-10%, y = 34-45%) quaternary alloys were grown on sapphire by radio-frequency plasma-excited molecular beam epitaxy. Rutherford back-scattering spectrometry, high resolution x-ray diffraction and cathodoluminescence were used to characterize the InAlGaN alloys. The experimental results show that InAlGaN with an appropriate Al/In ratio (near 4.7, which is a lattice-match to the GaN under-layer) has better crystal and optical quality than the InAlGaN alloys whose Al/In ratios are far from 4.7. Some cracks and V-defects occur in high-Al/In-ratio InAlGaN alloys. In the CL image, the cracks and V-defect regions are the emission-enhanced regions.

Effects of ZnO interlayers on thick GaN/Si film prepared by RF magnetron sputtering

We have successfully prepared a high-quality 2 mu m-thick GaN film with three inserted 30 nm-thick ZnO interlayers on Si (111) substrate without cracks by magnetron sputtering. The effects of the thickness and number of ZnO interlayers on the crystal quality of the GaN films were studied. It was found that the GaN crystal quality initially improved with the increase of the thickness of ZnO interlayers, but deteriorated quickly when the thickness exceeded 30 nm. Multiple ZnO interlayers were used as an effective means to further improve the crystal quality of the GaN film. By increasing the number of interlayers up to three, the cracks can be constrained to a certain extent, and the crystal quality of the GaN film greatly improved. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Crack control in GaN grown on silicon (111) using In doped low-temperature AlGaN interlayer by metalorganic chemical vapor deposition

The effects of In doped low-temperature (LT) AlGaN interlayer on the properties of GaN/Si(111) by MOCVD have been investigated. Using In doping LT-interlayer can decrease the stress sufficiently for avoiding crack formation in a thick (2.0 mu m) GaN layer. Significant improvement in the crystal and optical properties of GaN layer is also achieved. In doping is observed to reduce the stress in AlGaN interlayer measured by high-resolution X-ray diffraction (HRXRD). It can provide more compressive stress to counteract tensile stress and reduce crack density in subsequent GaN layer. Moreover, as a surfactant, indium is observed to cause an enhanced PL intensity and the narrowed linewidths of PL and XRD spectra for the LT-interlayer. Additionally, the crystal quality of GaN layer is found to be dependent on the growth parameters of underneath In-doped LT-AlGaN interlayer. The optimal parameters, such as TMIn flow rate, TMAl flow rates and thickness, are achieved to obtain nearly 2.0 mu m thick crack free GaN film with advanced optical and crystal properties. (c) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Micro-mould method for self-assembling three-dimensional opal photonic crystals

By vertical sedimentation, silica micro-spheres were grown in different shapes of concave micro-zones which were etched on a (100) p-silicon substrate. The following were found: this method can effectively raise the quality of films by avoiding cracks; the geometry of the micro-zones affects the sediment of the film; regular hexagons and triangles best facilitate the growth of photonic crystals. This method is practical for its ability to fabricate self-assembly photonic crystals in previously designed small areas.

Influence of high-temperature AIN buffer thickness on the properties of GaN grown on Si(111)

The influences of AlN buffer thickness on the optical and the crystalline properties of metalorganic chemical vapor deposition wurtzite GaN layers on Si(I 11) substrate have been investigated. High-resolution X-ray diffraction and photoluminescence measurement reveal that the thickness of AlN buffer exerts a strong influence on the distribution of dislocation and stress in GaN epilayer. The evidence is further reinforced by atomic force microscopic observation of AlN nucleation process. The optimum thickness of AlN buffer to effectively suppress Si diffusion has been determined by secondary-ion mass spectroscopy to be in the range of 13-20 nm. In addition, it is found that appropriate Si diffusion in AlN buffer helps to compensate the tensile strain in GaN, which subsequently improves the optical quality of GaN on Si(I 1, 1), and reduces the cracks over the GaN surface. (C) 2003 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Epitaxial growth of SiC on complex substrates

Epitaxial growth of SiC on complex substrates was carried out at substrate temperature from 1200 degreesC to 1400 degreesC. Three kinds of new complex substrates, c-plane sapphire, AlN/sapphire, and GaN/AlN/sapphire, were used in this study. We obtained a growth rate in the range of 1-6 mum/h. Thick (6 mum) SIC epitaxial layers with no cracks were successfully obtained on AlN/sapphire and GaN/AlN/sapphire substrates. X-ray diffraction patterns have confirmed that single-crystal SiC was obtained on these complex substrates. Analysis of optical transmission spectra of the SIC grown on sapphire substrates shows the lowest-energy gap near 2.2 eV, which is the value for cubic SiC. The undoped SIC showed n-type electrical conductivity. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.

Influence of precipitates on GaN epilayer quality

GaN epilayers grown on pre-nitridated (0001) sapphire substrates by metallorganic vapor phase epitaxy were investigated by wavelength dispersive X-ray spectroscopy and energy dispersive S-ray spectroscopy. Precipitates were observed to mainly consist of O impurity whose strengths were weaker than surrounding matrix. The precipitates were larger in size and distributed more sparsely and inhomogeneously in < 11-20 > directions of the epilayers grown on substrates pre-nitridated for longer periods. The larger precipitates often joined to cracks in the TEM specimens. The crack formation seems to be attributed to the compressive stress concentration at edge angles of the larger precipitates. Yellow luminescence of the epilayers was imaged by cathodoluminescence. The distribution similarity between the cathodoluminescence and the precipitates suggested that the precipitates were responsible for the yellow luminescence band. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science S.A, All rights reserved.