Carrier concentration profiles of two-dimensional electron gases are investigated in wurtzite, Ga-face AlxGa1−xN/GaN/AlxGa1−xN and N-face GaN/AlxGa1−xN/GaN heterostructures used for the fabrication of field effect transistors. Analysis of the measured electron distributions in heterostructures with AlGaN barrier layers of different Al concentrations (0.15<x<0.5) and thickness between 20 and 65 nm demonstrate the important role of spontaneous and piezoelectric polarization on the carrier confinement at GaN/AlGaN and AlGaN/GaN interfaces. Characterization of the electrical properties of nominally undoped transistor structures reveals the presence of high sheet carrier concentrations, increasing from 6×1012 to 2×1013 cm−2 in the GaN channel with increasing Al-concentration from x=0.15 to 0.31. The observed high sheet carrier concentrations and strong confinement at specific interfaces of the N- and Ga-face pseudomorphic grown heterostructures can be explained as a consequence of interface charges induced by ...

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Two-dimensional electron gases induced by spontaneous and piezoelectric polarization charges in N- and Ga-face AlGaN/GaN heterostructures

The role of extended and point defects, and key impurities such as C, O, and H, on the electrical and optical properties of GaN is reviewed. Recent progress in the development of high reliability contacts, thermal processing, dry and wet etching techniques, implantation doping and isolation, and gate insulator technology is detailed. Finally, the performance of GaN-based electronic and photonic devices such as field effect transistors, UV detectors, laser diodes, and light-emitting diodes is covered, along with the influence of process-induced or grown-in defects and impurities on the device physics.

Gan : processing, defects, and devices

REVIEW High-efficiency light-emitting diodes emitting amber, green, blue, and ultraviolet light have been obtained through the use of an InGaN active layer instead of a GaN active layer. The localized energy states caused by In composition fluctuation in the InGaN active layer are related to the high efficiency of the InGaN-based emitting devices. The blue and green InGaN quantum-well structure light-emitting diodes with luminous efficiencies of 5 and 30 lumens per watt, respectively, can be made despite the large number of threading dislocations (1 x 10(8) to 1 x 10(12) cm-2). Epitaxially laterally overgrown GaN on sapphire reduces the number of threading dislocations originating from the interface of the GaN epilayer with the sapphire substrate. InGaN multi-quantum-well structure laser diodes formed on the GaN layer above the SiO2 mask area can have a lifetime of more than 10,000 hours. Dislocations increase the threshold current density of the laser diodes.

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The Roles of Structural Imperfections in InGaN-Based Blue Light-Emitting Diodes and Laser Diodes

The rapid development of the RF power electronics requires the introduction of wide bandgap material due to its potential in high output power density, high operation voltage and high input impedance GaN-based RF power devices have made substantial progresses in the last decade This paper attempts to review the latest developments of the GaN HEMT technologies, including material growth, processing technologies, device epitaxial structures and MMIC designs, to achieve the state-of-the-art microwave and millimeter-wave performance The reliability and manufacturing challenges are also discussed

GaN-Based RF Power Devices and Amplifiers

Two dimensional electron gases in Al x Ga 12x N/GaN based heterostructures, suitable for high electron mobility transistors, are induced by strong polarization effects. The sheet carrier concentration and the confinement of the two dimensional electron gases located close to the AlGaN/GaN interface are sensitive to a large number of different physical properties such as polarity, alloy composition, strain, thickness, and doping of the AlGaN barrier. We have investigated these physical properties for undoped and silicon doped transistor structures by a combination of high resolution x-ray diffraction, atomic force microscopy, Hall effect, and capacitance‐voltage profiling measurements. The polarization induced sheet charge bound at the AlGaN/GaN interfaces was calculated from different sets of piezoelectric constants available in the literature. The sheet carrier concentration induced by polarization charges was determined

Two dimensional electron gases induced by spontaneous and piezoelectric polarization in undoped and doped AlGaN/GaN heterostructures

In this letter we demonstrate that the anomalously low (002) x‐ray rocking curve widths for epitaxial hexagonal GaN films on (001) sapphire are a result of a specific threading dislocation (TD) geometry. Epitaxial GaN films were grown on c‐plane sapphire by atmospheric pressure metalorganic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) in a horizontal flow reactor. Films were grown with (002) rocking curves (ω‐scans) widths as low as 40 arcsec and threading dislocation densities of ∼2×1010 cm−2. The threading dislocations in this film lie parallel to the [001] direction and within the limit of imaging statistics, all are pure edge with Burgers vectors parallel to the film/substrate interface. These TDs will not distort the (002) planes. However, distortion of asymmetric planes, such as (102), is predicted and confirmed in (102) rocking curve widths of 740 arcsec. These results are compared with films with (002) rocking curves of ∼270 arcsec and threading dislocation densities of ∼7×108 cm−2.

Role of threading dislocation structure on the x‐ray diffraction peak widths in epitaxial GaN films

Defect structures were investigated by transmission electron microscopy for GaN/Al2O3 (0001) epilayers grown by metal‐organic chemical vapor deposition using a two‐step process. The defect structures, including threading dislocations, partial dislocation bounding stacking faults, and inversion domains, were analyzed by diffraction contrast, high‐resolution imaging, and convergent beam diffraction. GaN film growth was initiated at 600 °C with a nominal 20 nm nucleation layer. This was followed by high‐temperature growth at 1080 °C. The near‐interfacial region of the films consists of a mixture of cubic and hexagonal GaN, which is characterized by a high density of stacking faults bounded by Shockley and Frank partial dislocations. The near‐interfacial region shows a high density of inversion domains. Above ∼0.5 μm thickness, the film consists of isolated threading dislocations of either pure edge, mixed, or pure screw character with a total density of ∼7×108 cm−2. The threading dislocation reduction in the...

Defect structure of metal‐organic chemical vapor deposition‐grown epitaxial (0001) GaN/Al2O3

Epitaxial lateral mask overgrowth which occurs during GaN selective epitaxy has been studied using linear mask features. The lateral growth varies between its maximum and minimum over a 30° angular span and exhibits hexagonal symmetry. Vertical growth follows an opposite trend, with lateral growth maxima, and vertical growth minima occurring for lines parallel to the GaN 〈10•0〉. Large variations in the lateral growth are also obtained through variations in the growth temperature and NH3 flow. Under proper growth conditions, lateral to vertical growth rate ratios of up to 4.1 can be achieved, resulting in significant lateral mask overgrowth and coalescence of features without excessive growth times.

Anisotropic epitaxial lateral growth in GaN selective area epitaxy

We report record high breakdown voltages up to 340 and 230 V realized on unintentionally doped (1.5 μm gate length) and Si doped (1 μm gate length) AlGaN/GaN modulation doped field effect transistors (MODFETs), respectively. The devices also have large transconductances up to 140 mS/mm and a full channel current of 150–400 mA/mm. The Si doped MODFET sample demonstrated a very high room temperature mobility of 1500 cm2/Vs. With these specifications, GaN field effect transistors as microwave power devices are practical.

Very high breakdown voltage and large transconductance realized on gan heterojunction field effect transistors

The structural evolution of epitaxial GaN layers grown on basal plane sapphire has been studied by atomic force microscopy (AFM), x‐ray diffraction, and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). High‐temperature growth (1050–1080 °C) on optimized nucleation layers leads to clear, specular films. AFM on the as‐grown surface shows evenly spaced monatomic steps indicative of layer by layer growth. AFM measurements show a step termination density of 1.7×108 cm−2 for 5 μm films. This value is in close agreement with TEM measurements of screw and mixed screw‐edge threading dislocation density. The total measured threading dislocation density in the 5 μm films is 7×108 cm−2.

D. Kapolnek

Papers

Role of threading dislocation structure on the x‐ray diffraction peak widths in epitaxial GaN films

Defect structure of metal‐organic chemical vapor deposition‐grown epitaxial (0001) GaN/Al2O3

Anisotropic epitaxial lateral growth in GaN selective area epitaxy

Very high breakdown voltage and large transconductance realized on gan heterojunction field effect transistors

Structural evolution in epitaxial metalorganic chemical vapor deposition grown GaN films on sapphire