Growth of thick AlN layers by hydride vapor-phase epitaxy

• Published in: Journal of crystal growth Vol. 281; no. 1; pp. 62 - 67
• Main Authors: Kumagai, Yoshinao, Yamane, Takayoshi, Koukitu, Akinori
• Format: Journal Article Conference Proceeding
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier B.V 01-07-2005; Elsevier
• Subjects: A1. Crystal structure; A3. Hydride vapor-phase epitaxy; B1. Nitrides; B2. Semiconducting aluminum compounds; Cross-disciplinary physics: materials science; rheology; Exact sciences and technology; Materials science; Methods of crystal growth; physics of crystal growth; Physics; 61.10.Nz; B1. Nitrides; 68.37.−d; A1. Crystal structure; 81.15.Kk; B2. Semiconducting aluminum compounds; 81.05.Ea; A3. Hydride vapor-phase epitaxy; Temperature; 81.15.Kk Al. Crystal structure; Inorganic compounds; Pressure effects; Growth rate; Thick films; VPE; Hydrides; XRD; Substrates; Partial pressure; 68.37.-d; Aluminium nitrides; Rocking curve; Growth mechanism; Mirrors; Surface layers; Gallium selenides
• ISSN: 0022-0248; 1873-5002
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jcrysgro.2005.03.011

Growth of AlN on sapphire (0
0
0
1) substrates by hydride vapor-phase epitaxy (HVPE) was investigated using AlCl
3 and NH
3 as source gases in the temperature range from 950 to 1100
°C. It was found that the full-width at half-maximum (FWHM) values of the X-ray diffraction (XRD) rocking curves of the (0
0
0
2) and
(
1
0
1
¯
0
)
planes of the
c-axis oriented AlN layers decreased with increasing growth temperature. An AlN layer showing a mirror-like surface could be grown at 1100
°C with a growth rate of 1.7
μm/h. Growth rate was found to increase with increasing AlCl
3 input partial pressure and with decreasing distance (
L) between the end of the AlCl
3 injection nozzle and the sapphire substrate. The growth rate reached 122
μm/h with an AlCl
3 input partial pressure of 2.0×10
−3
atm and
L
=
25
mm
but the crystalline quality became poor when the growth rate rose above 10
μm/h.