Three-dimensional photoluminescence imaging of threading dislocations in GaN by sub-band optical excitation

Daeumer, Matthias; Yoo, Jae-Hyuck; Xu, Zhiyu; Cho, Minkyu; Bakhtiary-Noodeh, Marzieh; Detchprohm, Theeradetch; Zhang, Yuxuan; Thirupakuzi Vangipuram, Vijay Gopal; Talesara, Vishank; Xu, Yibo; Letts, Edward; Key, Daryl; Li, Tian T.; Shao, Qinghui; Dupuis, Russell; Shen, Shyh-Chiang; Lu, Wu; Zhao, Hongping; Hashimoto, Tadao; Laurence, Ted A.

doi:10.1038/s41598-024-83398-0

Three-dimensional photoluminescence imaging of threading dislocations in GaN by sub-band optical excitation

Journal Article · Wed Jan 01 23:00:00 EST 2025 · Scientific Reports

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-83398-0· OSTI ID:2530271

Daeumer, Matthias ^[1]; Yoo, Jae-Hyuck ^[1]; Xu, Zhiyu ^[2]; Cho, Minkyu ^[2]; Bakhtiary-Noodeh, Marzieh ^[2]; Detchprohm, Theeradetch ^[2]; Zhang, Yuxuan ^[3]; Thirupakuzi Vangipuram, Vijay Gopal ^[3]; Talesara, Vishank ^[3]; Xu, Yibo ^[3]; Letts, Edward ^[4]; Key, Daryl ^[4]; Li, Tian T. ^[1]; Shao, Qinghui ^[1]; Dupuis, Russell ^[2]; Shen, Shyh-Chiang ^[2]; Lu, Wu ^[3]; Zhao, Hongping ^[3]; Hashimoto, Tadao ^[4]; Laurence, Ted A. ^[1]

Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)
Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA (United States)
The Ohio State Univ., Columbus, OH (United States)
SixPoint Materials, Inc., Buellton, CA (United States)

GaN is rapidly gaining attention for implementation in power electronics but is still impacted by its high density of threading dislocations (TDs), which have been shown to facilitate current leakage through devices limiting their performance and reliability. Here, we discuss a novel implementation of photoluminescence (PL) imaging to study TDs in regions within vertically structured p-i-n GaN (PIN) diodes consisting of metalorganic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) epitaxial layers grown on ammonothermal GaN (am-GaN) substrates. PL imaging with a sub-bandgap excitation energy (3.1 eV) reveals TDs with excellent clarity in three dimensions within the am-GaN substrate. Galvanometric-driven PL imaging allows the microstructure of hundreds of devices to be characterized in a single session, enhancing the screening process through the addition of device specific TD location tracking and density mapping. The visibility, structural characteristics, luminescent nature and evolution of TDs through the GaN growth process are described, potentially providing the ability to define TD structures associated with leakage current.

View Accepted Manuscript (DOE)

Research Organization:: Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA); USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), Energy Efficiency Office. Advanced Materials & Manufacturing Technologies Office (AMMTO)

Grant/Contract Number:: AC52-07NA27344

OSTI ID:: 2530271

Report Number(s):: LLNL--JRNL-866160; 1100516

Journal Information:: Scientific Reports, Journal Name: Scientific Reports Journal Issue: 1 Vol. 15; ISSN 2045-2322

Publisher:: Nature Publishing GroupCopyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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