Investigation of the GaN-on-GaAs interface for vertical power device applications

Journal Article · Mon Jul 07 00:00:00 EDT 2014 · Journal of Applied Physics

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4887139· OSTI ID:22306178

Möreke, Janina; Uren, Michael J.; Kuball, Martin ^[1]; Novikov, Sergei V.; Foxon, C. Thomas ^[2]; Hosseini Vajargah, Shahrzad; Wallis, David J.; Humphreys, Colin J. ^[3]; Haigh, Sarah J. ^[4]; Al-Khalidi, Abdullah; Wasige, Edward; Thayne, Iain ^[5]

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1. H.H. Wills Physics Laboratory, Tyndall Avenue, Bristol BS8 1TL (United Kingdom)
2. Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Nottingham, Nottingham NG7 2RD (United Kingdom)
3. Department of Materials Science and Metallurgy, University of Cambridge, 27 Charles Babbage Road, Cambridge CB3 0FS (United Kingdom)
4. Super STEM Laboratory, STFC Daresbury Campus, Keckwick Lane, Daresbury WA4 4AD (United Kingdom)
5. School of Engineering, University of Glasgow, Rankine Bldg, Oakfield Avenue, Glasgow G12 8LT (United Kingdom)

GaN layers were grown onto (111) GaAs by molecular beam epitaxy. Minimal band offset between the conduction bands for GaN and GaAs materials has been suggested in the literature raising the possibility of using GaN-on-GaAs for vertical power device applications. I-V and C-V measurements of the GaN/GaAs heterostructures however yielded a rectifying junction, even when both sides of the junction were heavily doped with an n-type dopant. Transmission electron microscopy analysis further confirmed the challenge in creating a GaN/GaAs Ohmic interface by showing a large density of dislocations in the GaN layer and suggesting roughening of the GaN/GaAs interface due to etching of the GaAs by the nitrogen plasma, diffusion of nitrogen or melting of Ga into the GaAs substrate.

• OSTI ID: 22306178
• Journal Information: Journal of Applied Physics, Vol. 116, Issue 1; Other Information: (c) 2014 AIP Publishing LLC; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0021-8979
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS
SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND SUPERFLUIDITY
CAPACITANCE
CONNECTORS
DENSITY
DIFFUSION
DISLOCATIONS
DOPED MATERIALS
ELECTRIC CONDUCTIVITY
ELECTRIC CONTACTS
ETCHING
GALLIUM ARSENIDES
GALLIUM NITRIDES
INTERFACES
LAYERS
MOLECULAR BEAM EPITAXY
PLASMA
SEMICONDUCTOR JUNCTIONS
SUBSTRATES
TRANSMISSION ELECTRON MICROSCOPY