AVS 47th International Symposium
    Semiconductors Monday Sessions
       Session SC2+EL+SS-MoM

Paper SC2+EL+SS-MoM6
Growth of Single Crystalline AlN on Si(111) using Surface Reconstruction Induced Epitaxy

Monday, October 2, 2000, 10:00 am, Room 312

Session: Dissimilar Materials
Presenter: M. Jenkins, University of North Carolina
Authors: M. Jenkins, University of North Carolina
A. Faik, University of North Carolina
M.R. Sardela Jr, University of Illinois
M.-A. Hasan, University of North Carolina
Correspondent: Click to Email
AlN is a direct wide bandgap (6.2 eV) material suitable for applications in UV emission and detection. In addition, it has a close lattice constant to GaInN, which provides a tunable band gap for emission in the blue to red region. Moreover, integration of group III-nitrides with Si would enable optical interconnects and high power device fabrication on Si. In this work, we have demonstrated growth of hexagonal single crystalline AlN(001) on Si(111) using surface reconstruction induced epitaxy. The Si(111)7x7 surface was first passivated by deposition of ~0.3 monolayer (ML) of Al at 650-700 °C. Each Al atom bonds to 3 Si atoms on the surface, which give rise to the well-known Si(111)@sr@3x@sr@3 surface. The well ordered, Al-passivated Si(111)@sr@3x@sr@3 surface was then used as a template to initiate epitaxial growth of AlN on Si. Without Al passivation, N would react with the clean Si surface forming amorphous Si@sub 3@N@sub 4@, which provides a disordered template and prevents epitaxial growth of AlN. The growth was conducted by using an atomic N flux from a RF atomic source and thermal deposition of Al from an effusion cell. Reflection of high-energy electron diffraction (RHEED), high-resolution X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy results confirmed the formation of single crystalline AlN. The results showed that epitaxial growth of AlN depends strongly on the Al/N flux ratio, growth temperature, and the RF power.