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The Effect of Self Nucleation Layers on the Mocvd Growth of Gallium Nitride on Sapphire

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  25 February 2011

D.K. Wickenden ,
T.J. Kistenmacher ,
W.A. Bryden ,
J.S. Morgan  and
A. Estes Wickenden
D.K. Wickenden
Affiliation:
Applied Physics Laboratory, The Johns Hopkins University, Laurel, MD 20723-6099
T.J. Kistenmacher
Affiliation:
Applied Physics Laboratory, The Johns Hopkins University, Laurel, MD 20723-6099
W.A. Bryden
Affiliation:
Applied Physics Laboratory, The Johns Hopkins University, Laurel, MD 20723-6099
J.S. Morgan
Affiliation:
Applied Physics Laboratory, The Johns Hopkins University, Laurel, MD 20723-6099
A. Estes Wickenden
Affiliation:
Applied Physics Laboratory, The Johns Hopkins University, Laurel, MD 20723-6099
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Abstract

Self nucleation layers, nominally 50 nm in thickness, have been predeposited at temperatures in the range 600–1100°C and shown to markedly and uniformly improve the surface morphology of epitaxial layers of GaN on highly oriented (0001) sapphire substrates. However, the epitaxial relationship between the GaN film and the sapphire substrate and the electrical and optical properties of these films depend strongly on the temperature at which the nucleation layer is deposited. For example, growth on a nucleation layer deposited at 1100°C yields a film little changed In carrier concentration or mobility and exhibiting the epitaxial relationship [(O0 0 1)GaN// (O001)sapphire and (1010)GaN //(1120)sapphire] characteristic of films grown directly onto (0001) sapphire. In contrasT, film growth onto a nucleation layer deposited at 600°C results in a typically oriented but semi-insulating layer. Of particular interest, an intermediate growth temperature (850°C) yields GaN films that are unconventionally twinned and semiinsulating. The twinning is distinguished by GaN sublattices that are rotated ±10.9° with respect to the sapphire lattice, such that (3030)GaN //(4150)sapphire. While all films in this regime are twinned and highly resistive, examples of scattering from twins with unequal volumes and non-ideal rotation angle have been occasionally encountered. The results clearly demonstrate that the orientation of the nucleation layer governs the orientation and properties of the final film.

Type
Research Article
Information
MRS Online Proceedings Library (OPL) , Volume 221: Symposium C – Heteroepitaxy of Dissimilar Materials , 1991 , 167
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 1991

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References

REFERENCES

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