Growth of GaN films with controlled out-of-plane texture on Si wafers

• Published in: Thin solid films Vol. 519; no. 11; pp. 3608 - 3611
• Main Authors: Hong, Jung-Il, Chang, Yanling, Ding, Yong, Wang, Zhong Lin, Snyder, Robert L.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier B.V 31.03.2011; Elsevier
• Subjects: Condensed matter: structure, mechanical and thermal properties; Cross-disciplinary physics: materials science; rheology; Deposition; Exact sciences and technology; Gallium; Gallium nitride; Gallium nitrides; Interface structure; Laser deposition; Materials science; Methods of deposition of films and coatings; film growth and epitaxy; Other semiconductors; Physics; Pulsed laser deposition; Silicon substrates; Specific materials; Structure and morphology; thickness; Surface layer; Surfaces and interfaces; thin films and whiskers (structure and nonelectronic properties); Texture; Theory and models of film growth; Thin film structure and morphology; Thin films; Transmission electron microscopy; Wafers; Interface structure; Pulsed laser deposition; Transmission electron microscopy; Gallium nitride; Texture; Gallium; Optoelectronics; Epitaxy; III-V compound; Thin films; Interfaces; Growth mechanism; Laser ablation technique; Silicon; III-V semiconductors
• ISSN: 0040-6090; 1879-2731
• DOI: 10.1016/j.tsf.2011.01.281

GaN films were deposited on Si (400) wafers by a pulsed laser deposition technique, and it was shown that out-of-plane texture of the film is controllable although the film and the substrate do not have any interface epitaxy. The texture of the film can be set either in c-axis or a-axis direction, thereby achieving polar or nonpolar film surfaces as desired. The GaN film and Si substrate were found to be separated by a thin amorphous interface layer consisting of Si, Ga, and O atoms, that can enhance the bonding between GaN and Si. This study shows the possibility of depositing GaN films on Si wafers at low cost and the potential of integrating Si based electronics with GaN based optoelectronics.