Growth evolution and pendeo-epitaxy of non-polar AlN and GaN thin films on 4H–SiC (1 1 2¯ 0)

• Published in: Journal of crystal growth Vol. 300; no. 1; pp. 83 - 89
• Main Authors: Bishop, S.M., Park, J.-S., Gu, J., Wagner, B.P., Reitmeier, Z.J., Batchelor, D.A., Zakharov, D.N., Liliental-Weber, Z., Davis, R.F.
• Format: Journal Article Conference Proceeding
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier B.V 01-03-2007; Elsevier
• Subjects: A1. Atomic force microscopy; A1. Crystal morphology; A1. Surfaces; A3. Metalorganic chemical vapor deposition; A3. Pendeo-epitaxy; B1. Nitrides; B2. Semiconducting III–V materials; Chemical vapor deposition (including plasma-enhanced cvd, mocvd, etc.); Condensed matter: structure, mechanical and thermal properties; Cross-disciplinary physics: materials science; rheology; Exact sciences and technology; Growth from vapor; Materials science; Methods of crystal growth; physics of crystal growth; Methods of deposition of films and coatings; film growth and epitaxy; Physics; Structure and morphology; thickness; Surfaces and interfaces; thin films and whiskers (structure and nonelectronic properties); Theory and models of film growth; Thin film structure and morphology; 61.16.C; 61.16.B; A1. Atomic force microscopy; 73.50; A3. Pendeo-epitaxy; 81.15; B1. Nitrides; B2. Semiconducting III–V materials; A1. Surfaces; A3. Metalorganic chemical vapor deposition; 61.72.V; A1. Crystal morphology; Atomic force microscopy; Bl. Nitrides; Inorganic compounds; Gallium nitrides; Epitaxy; Crystal growth from vapors; B2. Semiconducting III-V materials; Thin films; Dislocation density; Nitrides; Aluminium nitrides; Crystal morphology; Stacking faults; Al. Surfaces; Silicon carbides; Lateral growth; MOCVD; Preferred orientation; Film growth; Al. Crystal morphology; Growth mechanism; Microstructure; III-V semiconductors; X-ray photoelectron spectra
• ISSN: 0022-0248; 1873-5002
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jcrysgro.2006.10.207

The initial and subsequent stages of growth of AlN on 4H–SiC (1
1
2¯
0) and GaN on AlN (1
1
2¯
0) have been investigated using atomic force microscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The AlN nucleated and grew via the Stranski–Krastanov mode. Densely packed, [0
0
0
1]-oriented individual islands were observed at 10
nm. Additional deposition resulted in the gradual reorientation of the growth microstructure along the [1
1¯
0
0]. GaN formed via the Volmer–Weber mode with rapid growth of islands along the [1
1¯
0
0] to near surface coverage at a thickness of 2
nm. Continued deposition resulted in both faster vertical growth along [1
1
2¯
0] relative to the lateral growth along [0
0
0
1] and a [1
1¯
0
0]-oriented microstructure containing rows of GaN. Fully dense GaN films developed between 100 and 250
nm of growth, and the preferred in-plane orientation changed to [0
0
0
1]. Lateral growth of GaN films reduced the dislocation density from ∼4×10
10 to ∼2×10
8
cm
−2. The high concentration of stacking faults (∼10
6
cm
−1) was also reduced two orders of magnitude.