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Title: Evolution of AlGaN deep level defects as a function of alloying and compositional grading and resultant impact on electrical conductivity

Abstract

AlGaN:Si epilayers with uniform Al compositions of 60%, 70%, 80%, and 90% were grown by metal-organic vapor phase epitaxy along with a compositionally graded, unintentionally doped (UID) AlGaN epilayer with the Al composition varying linearly between 80% and 100%. The resistivity of AlGaN:Si with a uniform composition increased significantly for the Al content of 80% and greater, whereas the graded UID-AlGaN film exhibited resistivity equivalent to 60% and 70% AlGaN:Si owing to polarization-induced doping. Deep level defect studies of both types of AlGaN epilayers were performed to determine why the electronic properties of uniform-composition AlGaN:Si degraded with increased Al content, while the electronic properties of graded UID-AlGaN did not. The deep level density of uniform-composition AlGaN:Si increased monotonically and significantly with the Al mole fraction. Conversely, graded-UID AlGaN had the lowest deep level density of all the epilayers despite containing the highest Al composition. These findings indicate that Si doping is an impetus for point defect incorporation in AlGaN that becomes stronger with the increasing Al content. However, the increase in deep level density with the Al content in uniform-composition AlGaN:Si was small compared to the increase in resistivity. This implies that the primary cause for increasing resistivity in AlGaN:Simore » with the increasing Al mole fraction is not compensation by deep levels but rather increasing activation energy for the Si dopant. As a result, the graded UID-AlGaN films maintained low resistivity because they do not rely on thermal ionization of Si dopants.« less

Authors:
 [1];  [1]
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  1. Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States)
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA)
OSTI Identifier:
1374750
Alternate Identifier(s):
OSTI ID: 1372512
Report Number(s):
SAND-2017-8155J
Journal ID: ISSN 0003-6951; 655833
Grant/Contract Number:  
AC04-94AL85000
Resource Type:
Accepted Manuscript
Journal Name:
Applied Physics Letters
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 111; Journal Issue: 4; Journal ID: ISSN 0003-6951
Publisher:
American Institute of Physics (AIP)
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY; 36 MATERIALS SCIENCE

Citation Formats

Armstrong, Andrew M., and Allerman, Andrew A. Evolution of AlGaN deep level defects as a function of alloying and compositional grading and resultant impact on electrical conductivity. United States: N. p., 2017. Web. doi:10.1063/1.4996237.
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Armstrong, Andrew M., & Allerman, Andrew A. Evolution of AlGaN deep level defects as a function of alloying and compositional grading and resultant impact on electrical conductivity. United States. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4996237
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Armstrong, Andrew M., and Allerman, Andrew A. Mon . "Evolution of AlGaN deep level defects as a function of alloying and compositional grading and resultant impact on electrical conductivity". United States. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4996237. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1374750.
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@article{osti_1374750,
title = {Evolution of AlGaN deep level defects as a function of alloying and compositional grading and resultant impact on electrical conductivity},
author = {Armstrong, Andrew M. and Allerman, Andrew A.},
abstractNote = {AlGaN:Si epilayers with uniform Al compositions of 60%, 70%, 80%, and 90% were grown by metal-organic vapor phase epitaxy along with a compositionally graded, unintentionally doped (UID) AlGaN epilayer with the Al composition varying linearly between 80% and 100%. The resistivity of AlGaN:Si with a uniform composition increased significantly for the Al content of 80% and greater, whereas the graded UID-AlGaN film exhibited resistivity equivalent to 60% and 70% AlGaN:Si owing to polarization-induced doping. Deep level defect studies of both types of AlGaN epilayers were performed to determine why the electronic properties of uniform-composition AlGaN:Si degraded with increased Al content, while the electronic properties of graded UID-AlGaN did not. The deep level density of uniform-composition AlGaN:Si increased monotonically and significantly with the Al mole fraction. Conversely, graded-UID AlGaN had the lowest deep level density of all the epilayers despite containing the highest Al composition. These findings indicate that Si doping is an impetus for point defect incorporation in AlGaN that becomes stronger with the increasing Al content. However, the increase in deep level density with the Al content in uniform-composition AlGaN:Si was small compared to the increase in resistivity. This implies that the primary cause for increasing resistivity in AlGaN:Si with the increasing Al mole fraction is not compensation by deep levels but rather increasing activation energy for the Si dopant. As a result, the graded UID-AlGaN films maintained low resistivity because they do not rely on thermal ionization of Si dopants.},
doi = {10.1063/1.4996237},
journal = {Applied Physics Letters},
number = 4,
volume = 111,
place = {United States},
year = {Mon Jul 24 00:00:00 EDT 2017},
month = {Mon Jul 24 00:00:00 EDT 2017}
}
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https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4996237
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