Effect of multiple AlN layers on quality of GaN films grown on Si substrates

Abstract

In this paper, we present the effect of multiple thin high-low-high-temperature AlN (HLHT AlN) nucleation layers on GaN film quality. A 1.9-μm-thick GaN film grown on Si (111) substrate shows that the multiple HLHT AlN nucleation layers have a significant effect on GaN film quality. This process also plays a very important role in the growth of GaN films on Si (111) substrates. A high quality GaN film with a uniformly faceted surface with very low dislocation densities is obtained at the optimized multiple HLHT AlN nucleation layers 50-nm thick at a temperature of 1010-800-1010°C and a growth pressure of 50 Torr.