Effect of AlN nucleation layer on the structural properties of bulk GaN grown on sapphire by molecular-beam epitaxy
- Applied Semiconductor Physics, Molecular-Beam Epitaxy Group (MBE), Department of Microtechnology and Nanoscience, Chalmers University of Technology, S-412 96 Goeteborg (Sweden)
The properties of GaN, grown on sapphire by molecular-beam epitaxy, have been investigated with respect to the properties of the underlying AlN nucleation layer. We show that the AlN thickness and the Al/N flux ratio have pronounced effects on the surface morphology and crystal quality of the GaN overlayer. Low Al/N ratio (<0.4) leads to N-polarity GaN with poor crystal quality. For ratios between 0.4 and 0.7 the surface is smooth with Ga polarity. Higher Al/N flux ratios result in Ga-polar surfaces having plateaus intersected by holes. Optimum values for the GaN(0002) {omega} scan (full width at half maximum of 250 arc sec) and the surface roughness (root mean square of 0.7 nm) were found for a 3-nm-thick AlN nucleation layer (Al/N ratio of 0.6)
- OSTI ID:
- 20713975
- Journal Information:
- Journal of Applied Physics, Vol. 98, Issue 1; Other Information: DOI: 10.1063/1.1977189; (c) 2005 American Institute of Physics; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0021-8979
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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