GaN, AlN, and InN: A review
01 Jul 1992-Journal of Vacuum Science & Technology B (American Vacuum Society)-Vol. 10, Iss: 4, pp 1237-1266
TL;DR: The status of research on both wurtzite and zinc-blende GaN, AlN, and InN and their alloys including exciting recent results is reviewed in this paper.
Abstract: The status of research on both wurtzite and zinc‐blende GaN, AlN, and InN and their alloys is reviewed including exciting recent results. Attention is paid to the crystal growth techniques, structural, optical, and electrical properties of GaN, AlN, InN, and their alloys. The various theoretical results for each material are summarized. We also describe the performance of several device structures which have been demonstrated in these materials. Near‐term goals and critical areas in need of further research in the III–V nitride material system are identified.
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TL;DR: In this article, the authors present a comprehensive, up-to-date compilation of band parameters for the technologically important III-V zinc blende and wurtzite compound semiconductors.
Abstract: We present a comprehensive, up-to-date compilation of band parameters for the technologically important III–V zinc blende and wurtzite compound semiconductors: GaAs, GaSb, GaP, GaN, AlAs, AlSb, AlP, AlN, InAs, InSb, InP, and InN, along with their ternary and quaternary alloys. Based on a review of the existing literature, complete and consistent parameter sets are given for all materials. Emphasizing the quantities required for band structure calculations, we tabulate the direct and indirect energy gaps, spin-orbit, and crystal-field splittings, alloy bowing parameters, effective masses for electrons, heavy, light, and split-off holes, Luttinger parameters, interband momentum matrix elements, and deformation potentials, including temperature and alloy-composition dependences where available. Heterostructure band offsets are also given, on an absolute scale that allows any material to be aligned relative to any other.
6,349 citations
Abstract: Candela‐class high‐brightness InGaN/AlGaN double‐heterostructure (DH) blue‐light‐emitting diodes(LEDs) with the luminous intensity over 1 cd were fabricated As an active layer, a Zn‐doped InGaN layer was used for the DH LEDs The typical output power was 1500 μW and the external quantum efficiency was as high as 27% at a forward current of 20 mA at room temperature The peak wavelength and the full width at half‐maximum of the electroluminescence were 450 and 70 nm, respectively This value of luminous intensity was the highest ever reported for blue LEDs
3,497 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, a comprehensive and up-to-date compilation of band parameters for all of the nitrogen-containing III-V semiconductors that have been investigated to date is presented.
Abstract: We present a comprehensive and up-to-date compilation of band parameters for all of the nitrogen-containing III–V semiconductors that have been investigated to date. The two main classes are: (1) “conventional” nitrides (wurtzite and zinc-blende GaN, InN, and AlN, along with their alloys) and (2) “dilute” nitrides (zinc-blende ternaries and quaternaries in which a relatively small fraction of N is added to a host III–V material, e.g., GaAsN and GaInAsN). As in our more general review of III–V semiconductor band parameters [I. Vurgaftman et al., J. Appl. Phys. 89, 5815 (2001)], complete and consistent parameter sets are recommended on the basis of a thorough and critical review of the existing literature. We tabulate the direct and indirect energy gaps, spin-orbit and crystal-field splittings, alloy bowing parameters, electron and hole effective masses, deformation potentials, elastic constants, piezoelectric and spontaneous polarization coefficients, as well as heterostructure band offsets. Temperature an...
2,525 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the structural and point defects caused by lattice and stacking mismatch with substrates are discussed. But even the best of the three binaries, InN, AIN and AIN as well as their ternary compounds, contain many structural defects, and these defects notably affect the electrical and optical properties of the host material.
Abstract: Gallium nitride (GaN) and its allied binaries InN and AIN as well as their ternary compounds have gained an unprecedented attention due to their wide-ranging applications encompassing green, blue, violet, and ultraviolet (UV) emitters and detectors (in photon ranges inaccessible by other semiconductors) and high-power amplifiers. However, even the best of the three binaries, GaN, contains many structural and point defects caused to a large extent by lattice and stacking mismatch with substrates. These defects notably affect the electrical and optical properties of the host material and can seriously degrade the performance and reliability of devices made based on these nitride semiconductors. Even though GaN broke the long-standing paradigm that high density of dislocations precludes acceptable device performance, point defects have taken the center stage as they exacerbate efforts to increase the efficiency of emitters, increase laser operation lifetime, and lead to anomalies in electronic devices. The p...
1,724 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, 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 layers.
Abstract: 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.
1,675 citations