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Characterization of the Electrical Properties of a Double Heterostructure GaN/AlGaN Epitaxial Layer with an AlGaN Interlayer

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Abstract

This paper proposes a double-heterostructure (DH) GaN/AlGaN epitaxial layer that contains an AlGaN interlayer. The electrical properties are characterized and compared with conventional single-heterostructure (SH) GaN/AlGaN epitaxial layers. The Hall effect measurement shows that the DH GaN/AlGaN epitaxial layer has a carrier mobility of 1815 cm2 V−1 s−1, which is approximately 20.37% higher than the SH GaN/AlGaN epitaxial layer. The weak-beam dark-field images taken by transmission electron microscopy show that the AlGaN interlayer in the DH GaN/AlGaN epitaxial layer can block dislocations. The full widths at half maximum results show that there is no significant difference in the screw dislocation density between the SH and DH GaN/AlGaN epitaxial layers. However, the edge dislocation density and the overall internal stress in the DH GaN/AlGaN epitaxial layer are less than those in the SH GaN/AlGaN epitaxial layer. Finally, the physical mechanism of how edge dislocations impact the electrical properties of a DH GaN/AlGaN epitaxial layer is discussed.

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Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank the financial support from the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Nos. 51890884, 91748207, 51805421), and the China Postdoctoral Science Foundation (No. 2018T111045). We also appreciated the support from the International Joint Laboratory, Key Laboratory of Wide Band Gap Semiconductor Materials and Devices, and Sinoma Institute of Materials Research (Guang Zhou) Co., Ltd for Micro/Nano Manufacturing and Measurement Technologies.

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Author notes

  1. Qingzhi Meng and Qijing Lin have contributed equally to this work, so they should be both considered as co-first authors.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. State Key Laboratory of Mechanical Manufacturing Systems Engineering, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, 710049, China

    Qingzhi Meng, Qijing Lin, Weixuan Jing, Qi Mao, Libo Zhao, Xudong Fang & Zhuangde Jiang

  2. Collaborative Innovation Center of High-End Manufacturing Equipment, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, 710054, China

    Qijing Lin & Zhuangde Jiang

  3. School of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering, Xiamen Institute of Technology, Xiamen, 361021, China

    Qijing Lin

  4. Chongqing Technology and Business University, Nan’an District, Chongqing, 400067, China

    Qijing Lin & Tao Dong

  5. Department of Microsystems (IMS), Faculty of Technology, Natural Sciences and Maritime Sciences, University of South-Eastern Norway, Postboks 235, 3603, Kongsberg, Norway

    Tao Dong

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  1. Qingzhi Meng
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Meng, Q., Lin, Q., Jing, W. et al. Characterization of the Electrical Properties of a Double Heterostructure GaN/AlGaN Epitaxial Layer with an AlGaN Interlayer. J. Electron. Mater. 50, 2521–2529 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11664-020-08733-3

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