Effect of nitrogen plasma power on defect levels in Ni/n-GaN Schottky diodes grown by molecular beam epitaxy

Journal Article · Mon Mar 15 04:00:00 EDT 2010 · Journal of Applied Physics

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.3309778· OSTI ID:21476394

Arehart, A R; Ringel, S A ^[1]; Poblenz, C; Speck, J S ^[2]

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1. Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210 (United States)
2. Departments of Materials and Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of California, Santa Barbara, California 93106 (United States)

The incorporation of deep level defects in n-type GaN grown by plasma assisted molecular beam epitaxy was studied via systematic adjustment of the nitrogen plasma source power from 150 to 400 W while maintaining a constant V/III beam flux ratio. Deep level optical spectroscopy and conventional thermal deep level transient spectroscopy measurements, which together enable deep level detection throughout the GaN band gap, revealed several deep level concentrations that depend strongly on rf-plasma power. The concentrations of the gallium vacancy deep level at E{sub C}-2.60 eV and carbon-related point defects with energy levels at E{sub C}-3.28 and E{sub C}-1.35 eV are found to be very sensitive to the nitrogen source power, increasing by up to 50 times for a corresponding increase in plasma power from 150 to 400 W. The relation between the concentrations of these traps and plasma power follows an Arrhenius-type behavior and is suggestive of plasma damage associated with the energetics of the constituent active nitrogen species. In contrast, two traps at E{sub C}-0.86 and E{sub C}-0.59 eV did not exhibit a systematic dependence on plasma power, with this difference a result of the dislocation-related nature of these defects.

• OSTI ID: 21476394
• Journal Information: Journal of Applied Physics, Journal Name: Journal of Applied Physics Journal Issue: 5 Vol. 107; ISSN JAPIAU; ISSN 0021-8979
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS
SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND SUPERFLUIDITY
CARBON
CRYSTAL DEFECTS
CRYSTAL GROWTH
CRYSTAL GROWTH METHODS
CRYSTAL STRUCTURE
DEEP LEVEL TRANSIENT SPECTROSCOPY
DISLOCATIONS
ELECTRONIC STRUCTURE
ELEMENTS
ENERGY GAP
ENERGY LEVELS
ENERGY RANGE
EPITAXY
EV RANGE
GALLIUM
GALLIUM COMPOUNDS
GALLIUM NITRIDES
LINE DEFECTS
MATERIALS
METALS
MOLECULAR BEAM EPITAXY
NITRIDES
NITROGEN
NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
NONMETALS
PLASMA
PNICTIDES
POINT DEFECTS
SCHOTTKY BARRIER DIODES
SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES
SEMICONDUCTOR DIODES
SEMICONDUCTOR MATERIALS
SPECTROSCOPY
TRAPS
VACANCIES