Growth and characterization of GaN and AlN films on (1 1 1) and (0 0 1) Si substrates

• Published in: Journal of crystal growth Vol. 247; no. 3; pp. 261 - 268
• Main Authors: Gong, Jyh-Rong, Yeh, Ming-Fa, Wang, Cheng-Liang
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier B.V 2003; Elsevier
• Subjects: A1. Characterization; A3. Atomic layer epitaxy; B1. Nitrides; B2. Semiconducting gallium compounds; Condensed matter: electronic structure, electrical, magnetic, and optical properties; Condensed matter: structure, mechanical and thermal properties; Cross-disciplinary physics: materials science; rheology; Exact sciences and technology; Iii-v semiconductors; Materials science; Methods of deposition of films and coatings; film growth and epitaxy; Optical properties and condensed-matter spectroscopy and other interactions of matter with particles and radiation; Photoluminescence; Physics; Structure and morphology; thickness; Surfaces and interfaces; thin films and whiskers (structure and nonelectronic properties); Thin film structure and morphology; Vapor phase epitaxy; growth from vapor phase; 78.55.Cr; A3. Atomic layer epitaxy; B1. Nitrides; B2. Semiconducting gallium compounds; 81.15.Kk; 78.55.−m; A1. Characterization; 81.05.Ea; Buffer layer; Atomic layer method; Inorganic compounds; Epitaxial layers; Films; Crystal orientation; Gallium nitrides; Photoluminescence; Crystal growth from vapors; High temperature; Experimental study; Crystal perfection; Orientation relation; Characterization; Nitrides; Transmission electron microscopy; Aluminium nitrides; Heteroepitaxy; III-V semiconductors
• ISSN: 0022-0248; 1873-5002
• DOI: 10.1016/S0022-0248(02)01990-5

GaN and AlN films were grown on (1 1 1) and (0 0 1) Si substrates by separate admittances of trimethylgallium (or trimethylaluminum) and ammonia (NH 3) at 1000°C. A high temperature (HT) or low temperature (LT) grown AlN thin layer was employed as the buffer layer between HT GaN (or HT AlN) film and Si substrate. Experimental results show that HT AlN and HT GaN films grown on the HT AlN-coated Si substrates exhibit better crystalline quality than those deposited on the LT AlN-coated Si substrates. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) of the HT GaN/HT AlN buffer layer/(1 1 1)Si samples shows a particular orientation relationship between the (0 0 0 1) planes of GaN film and the (1 1 1) planes of Si substrate. High quality HT GaN films were achieved on (1 1 1) Si substrates using a 200 Å thick HT AlN buffer layer. Room temperature photoluminescence spectra of the high quality HT GaN films show strong near band edge luminescence at 3.41 eV with an emission linewidth of ∼110 meV and weak yellow luminescence.