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Title: High active nitrogen flux growth of GaN by plasma assisted molecular beam epitaxy

Abstract

In the present study, the authors report on a modified Riber radio frequency (RF) nitrogen plasma source that provides active nitrogen fluxes more than 30 times higher than those commonly used for plasma assisted molecular beam epitaxy (PAMBE) growth of gallium nitride (GaN) and thus a significantly higher growth rate than has been previously reported. GaN films were grown using N{sub 2} gas flow rates between 5 and 25 sccm while varying the plasma source's RF forward power from 200 to 600 W. The highest growth rate, and therefore the highest active nitrogen flux, achieved was ∼7.6 μm/h. For optimized growth conditions, the surfaces displayed a clear step-terrace structure with an average RMS roughness (3 × 3 μm) on the order of 1 nm. Secondary ion mass spectroscopy impurity analysis demonstrates oxygen and hydrogen incorporation of 1 × 10{sup 16} and ∼5 × 10{sup 17}, respectively. In addition, the authors have achieved PAMBE growth of GaN at a substrate temperature more than 150 °C greater than our standard Ga rich GaN growth regime and ∼100 °C greater than any previously reported PAMBE growth of GaN. This growth temperature corresponds to GaN decomposition in vacuum of more than 20 nm/min; a regime previously unattainable with conventional nitrogen plasma sources. Arrheniusmore » analysis of the decomposition rate shows that samples with a flux ratio below stoichiometry have an activation energy greater than decomposition of GaN in vacuum while samples grown at or above stoichiometry have decreased activation energy. The activation energy of decomposition for GaN in vacuum was previously determined to be ∼3.1 eV. For a Ga/N flux ratio of ∼1.5, this activation energy was found to be ∼2.8 eV, while for a Ga/N flux ratio of ∼0.5, it was found to be ∼7.9 eV.« less

Authors:
 [1];  [2]
  1. Materials Department, University of California, Santa Barbara, California 93106-5050 (United States)
  2. RIBER S.A., 3a Rue Casimir Périer, BP 70083, 95873 Bezons Cedex (France)
Publication Date:
OSTI Identifier:
22479653
Resource Type:
Journal Article
Journal Name:
Journal of Vacuum Science and Technology. A, Vacuum, Surfaces and Films
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 33; Journal Issue: 5; Other Information: (c) 2015 American Vacuum Society; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); Journal ID: ISSN 0734-2101
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
36 MATERIALS SCIENCE; ACTIVATION ENERGY; DECOMPOSITION; FILMS; GALLIUM NITRIDES; ION MICROPROBE ANALYSIS; MASS SPECTROSCOPY; MOLECULAR BEAM EPITAXY; NITROGEN; PLASMA; RADIOWAVE RADIATION; ROUGHNESS; STOICHIOMETRY; SUBSTRATES

Citation Formats

McSkimming, Brian M., E-mail: mcskimming@engineering.ucsb.edu, Speck, James S., and Chaix, Catherine. High active nitrogen flux growth of GaN by plasma assisted molecular beam epitaxy. United States: N. p., 2015. Web. doi:10.1116/1.4928415.
McSkimming, Brian M., E-mail: mcskimming@engineering.ucsb.edu, Speck, James S., & Chaix, Catherine. High active nitrogen flux growth of GaN by plasma assisted molecular beam epitaxy. United States. https://doi.org/10.1116/1.4928415
McSkimming, Brian M., E-mail: mcskimming@engineering.ucsb.edu, Speck, James S., and Chaix, Catherine. 2015. "High active nitrogen flux growth of GaN by plasma assisted molecular beam epitaxy". United States. https://doi.org/10.1116/1.4928415.
@article{osti_22479653,
title = {High active nitrogen flux growth of GaN by plasma assisted molecular beam epitaxy},
author = {McSkimming, Brian M., E-mail: mcskimming@engineering.ucsb.edu and Speck, James S. and Chaix, Catherine},
abstractNote = {In the present study, the authors report on a modified Riber radio frequency (RF) nitrogen plasma source that provides active nitrogen fluxes more than 30 times higher than those commonly used for plasma assisted molecular beam epitaxy (PAMBE) growth of gallium nitride (GaN) and thus a significantly higher growth rate than has been previously reported. GaN films were grown using N{sub 2} gas flow rates between 5 and 25 sccm while varying the plasma source's RF forward power from 200 to 600 W. The highest growth rate, and therefore the highest active nitrogen flux, achieved was ∼7.6 μm/h. For optimized growth conditions, the surfaces displayed a clear step-terrace structure with an average RMS roughness (3 × 3 μm) on the order of 1 nm. Secondary ion mass spectroscopy impurity analysis demonstrates oxygen and hydrogen incorporation of 1 × 10{sup 16} and ∼5 × 10{sup 17}, respectively. In addition, the authors have achieved PAMBE growth of GaN at a substrate temperature more than 150 °C greater than our standard Ga rich GaN growth regime and ∼100 °C greater than any previously reported PAMBE growth of GaN. This growth temperature corresponds to GaN decomposition in vacuum of more than 20 nm/min; a regime previously unattainable with conventional nitrogen plasma sources. Arrhenius analysis of the decomposition rate shows that samples with a flux ratio below stoichiometry have an activation energy greater than decomposition of GaN in vacuum while samples grown at or above stoichiometry have decreased activation energy. The activation energy of decomposition for GaN in vacuum was previously determined to be ∼3.1 eV. For a Ga/N flux ratio of ∼1.5, this activation energy was found to be ∼2.8 eV, while for a Ga/N flux ratio of ∼0.5, it was found to be ∼7.9 eV.},
doi = {10.1116/1.4928415},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/22479653}, journal = {Journal of Vacuum Science and Technology. A, Vacuum, Surfaces and Films},
issn = {0734-2101},
number = 5,
volume = 33,
place = {United States},
year = {Tue Sep 15 00:00:00 EDT 2015},
month = {Tue Sep 15 00:00:00 EDT 2015}
}