AVS 47th International Symposium
    Semiconductors Thursday Sessions
       Session SC+SS+EL-ThA

Invited Paper SC+SS+EL-ThA1
Kinetics of GaN Growth and Decomposition

Thursday, October 5, 2000, 2:00 pm, Room 306

Session: III-Nitride Growth and Nucleation
Presenter: D.D. Koleske, Naval Research Laboratory
Authors: D.D. Koleske, Naval Research Laboratory
A.E. Wickenden, Naval Research Laboratory
R.L. Henry, Naval Research Laboratory
M.E. Twigg, Naval Research Laboratory
J.C. Culbertson, Naval Research Laboratory
Correspondent: Click to Email
While many devices have been demonstrated in the group III nitrides, details of the chemical reaction mechanisms for producing high quality GaN using metallorganic vapor phase epitaxy (MOVPE) continues to be an active area of research. In this presentation, I will highlight the results from several kinetic studies of GaN growth. This will include investigations of GaN decomposition in a commercial MOVPE reactor at temperatures and pressures typically used for growth. The GaN decomposition rates were measured in H@sub 2@, N@sub 2@, mixed H@sub 2@ and N@sub 2@, and mixed H@sub 2@ and NH@sub 3@. From these studies an enhancement in the GaN decomposition rate is observed in pure H@sub 2@ and mixed H@sub 2@ and NH@sub 3@ flows as the reactor pressure is increased above 100 torr. @footnote 1@ The mechanism for enhanced GaN decomposition will be presented. Measurements of GaN growth (with trimethylgallium) and decomposition (without trimethylgallium) rates under otherwise identical conditions indicate the extent of decomposition and incorporation during growth. GaN decomposition also accounts for a decrease in the GaN nucleation at higher pressures during the initial high temperature growth. This decrease in the nucleation density leads to increased grain size and higher quality GaN films.@footnote 2@ Kinetic issues relating to incorporation of defects will also be presented. These issues include a growth model for stoichiometric GaN growth,@footnote 3@ and the kinetics of surface carbon removal. All work sponsored by the Office of Naval Research. @FootnoteText@ @footnote 1@ D.D. Koleske, et al., Appl. Phys. Lett. 73, 2018 (1998); ibid. 75, 1646 (1999). @footnote 2@ A.E. Wickenden, et al., J. Electron. Mat. 29, 21 (2000). @footnote 3@ D.D. Koleske, et al., J. Appl. Phys. 84, 1998 (1998).