Premium
Growth and characterization of free‐standing zinc‐blende GaN layers and substrates
Author(s) -
Novikov S. V.,
Foxon C. T.,
Kent A. J.
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
physica status solidi (a)
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.532
H-Index - 104
eISSN - 1862-6319
pISSN - 1862-6300
DOI - 10.1002/pssa.200983412
Subject(s) - zinc , materials science , molecular beam epitaxy , wafer , gallium nitride , characterization (materials science) , optoelectronics , crystal (programming language) , epitaxy , nanotechnology , layer (electronics) , metallurgy , computer science , programming language
We have investigated the growth of bulk, free‐standing zinc‐blende (cubic) GaN layers by plasma‐assisted molecular beam epitaxy (PA‐MBE). The PA‐MBE technique was used for bulk crystal growth and GaN layers up to 100 µm in thickness were produced. We have established that the best structural properties of free‐standing zinc‐blende GaN can be achieved with initiation under Ga‐rich conditions, but without Ga droplet formation. The procedure to produce free‐standing bulk zinc‐blende substrates from thick GaN layers grown on GaAs substrates has been developed. We have demonstrated the scalability of the process by growing free‐standing GaN layers up to 3 in. in diameter. Growth of free‐standing bulk GaN layers has allowed us to refine the values for the basic parameters of zinc‐blende GaN. We have demonstrated also that the PA‐MBE process we have developed has allowed us to achieve free‐standing Al x Ga 1− x N wafers.