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Controlling Surface Morphology and Circumventing Secondary Phase Formation in Non-polar m-GaN by Tuning Nitrogen Activity

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Abstract

For the development of non-polar nitrides based optoelectronic devices, high-quality films with smooth surfaces, free of defects or clusters, are critical. In this work, the mechanisms governing the topography and single phase epitaxy of non-polar m-plane gallium nitride (m-GaN) thin films are studied. The samples were grown using plasma-assisted molecular beam epitaxy on m-plane sapphire substrates. Growth of pure m-GaN thin films, concomitant with smooth surfaces is possible at low radio frequency powers and high growth temperatures as judged by the high resolution x-ray diffraction, field emission scanning electron microscopy, and atomic force microscopy measurements. Defect types and densities are quantified using transmission electron microscopy, while Raman spectroscopy was used to analyze the in-plane stress in the thin films which matches the lattice mismatch analysis. Energy dispersive spectroscopy and cathodoluminescence support a congruent growth and a dominant near band edge emission. From the analysis, a narrow growth window is discovered wherein epitaxial growth of pure m-plane GaN samples free of secondary phases with narrow rocking curves and considerable smooth surfaces are successfully demonstrated.

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Acknowledgements

This study was supported by the Ministry of Science and Technology, Taiwan, ROC. NSC 102-2112-M-110-004-MY3 and MOST 105-2112-M-110-005 are for PVW and LWT and MOST 103-2112-M-110-003 and MOST 104-2221-E-110-063 are for QYC.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Physics and Center for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, National Sun Yat-Sen University, Kaohsiung, 80424, Taiwan, ROC

    C. W. Chang, P. V. Wadekar, S. S. Guo, Y. J. Cheng, W. C. Hsieh, Q. Y. Chen & L. W. Tu

  2. Department of Materials and Optoelectronic Science, National Sun Yat-Sen University, Kaohsiung, 80424, Taiwan, ROC

    M. Chou & H. C. Huang

  3. Department of Photonics, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, 70101, Taiwan

    W. C. Lai

  4. Texas Center for Superconductivity and Department of Physics, University of Houston, Houston, TX, 77204, USA

    Q. Y. Chen

  5. Department of Medical Laboratory Science and Biotechnology, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, 80708, Taiwan, ROC

    L. W. Tu

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  1. C. W. Chang
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Correspondence to L. W. Tu.

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Chang, C.W., Wadekar, P.V., Guo, S.S. et al. Controlling Surface Morphology and Circumventing Secondary Phase Formation in Non-polar m-GaN by Tuning Nitrogen Activity. J. Electron. Mater. 47, 359–367 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11664-017-5773-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11664-017-5773-5

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