Group III-nitride thin films grown using MBE and bismuth

Patent · Sat Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 2000

OSTI ID:873340

Kisielowski, Christian K ^[1]; Rubin, Michael ^[2]

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1. Peidmont, CA
2. Berkeley, CA

The present invention comprises growing gallium nitride films in the presence of bismuth using MBE at temperatures of about 1000 K or less. The present invention further comprises the gallium nitride films fabricated using the inventive fabrication method. The inventive films may be doped with magnesium or other dopants. The gallium nitride films were grown on sapphire substrates using a hollow anode Constricted Glow Discharge nitrogen plasma source. When bismuth was used as a surfactant, two-dimensional gallium nitride crystal sizes ranging between 10 .mu.m and 20 .mu.m were observed. This is 20 to 40 times larger than crystal sizes observed when GaN films were grown under similar circumstances but without bismuth. It is thought that the observed increase in crystal size is due bismuth inducing an increased surface diffusion coefficient for gallium. The calculated value of 4.7.times.10.sup.-7 cm.sup.2 /sec. reveals a virtual substrate temperature of 1258 K which is 260 degrees higher than the actual one.

• Research Organization: Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: AC03-76SF00098
• Assignee: Regents of University of California (Oakland, CA)
• Patent Number(s): US 6139629
• OSTI ID: 873340
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

iii-nitride
films
grown
bismuth
comprises
growing
gallium
nitride
presence
temperatures
1000
fabricated
inventive
fabrication
method
doped
magnesium
dopants
sapphire
substrates
hollow
anode
constricted
glow
discharge
nitrogen
plasma
source
surfactant
two-dimensional
crystal
sizes
ranging
10
20
observed
40
times
larger
similar
circumstances
increase
size
due
inducing
increased
surface
diffusion
coefficient
calculated
value
-7
cm
reveals
virtual
substrate
temperature
1258
260
degrees
diffusion coefficient
nitride film
constricted glow
fabrication method
gallium nitride
plasma source
glow discharge
substrate temperature
sizes ranging
nitride films
increased surface
crystal sizes
rate temperature
comprises growing
sapphire substrate
hollow anode
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