Cathodoluminescence measurements were performed for carbon doped and undoped aluminum nitride thin films in the temperature range from liquid helium to room temperature. The AlN films were grown on three different substrates: 6H–SiC, 4H–SiC, and sapphire. From these samples, a strong luminescence peak surrounded by two weaker peaks in the near band-edge region, near 6 eV, was observed. For AlN on sapphire, this near band-edge transition can be further resolved into three peaks at 6.11, 5.92, and 5.82 eV. These peaks are believed to be due to exciton recombination. The effects of substrate materials and carbon doping on the exciton peak were discussed. The temperature dependence of the peak position and line width of this transition was also studied. The temperature coefficient of the band-gap energy is estimated to be 0.51 meV/K.

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Undoped single crystalline aluminum nitride films were grown on 4H and 6H SiC substrates using metal–organic chemical-vapor deposition at 1200 °C. From in situ reflection high-energy electron diffraction, x-ray diffraction rocking curves, and cathodoluminescence spectra, the crystallinity of the films was confirmed. Atomic force microscopy showed that some films were substantially dominated by island growth, rather than step flow growth. Aluminum was evaporated to form metal–insulator–semiconductor (MIS) capacitors for high-frequency capacitance voltage measurements carried out at room temperature. Low leakage made it possible to measure the structures and characterize accumulation, depletion, deep depletion, and, in some cases, inversion. From independent optical thickness measurements, the relative dielectric constant of aluminum nitride was confirmed at 8.4. The flatband voltage of the AlN MIS capacitors on p-type SiC was close to the theoretical value expected. The films were stressed up to 60 V (3 MV/cm) without breakdown, but excessive leakage currents (>0.1 A/cm2), probably dominated by grain-boundary conduction, shifted the flatband voltage of the capacitors. These results indicate the possibility of replacing silicon dioxide with aluminum nitride in SiC field effect transistors using insulated gates.

Refractive index of III-metal-polar and N-polar AlGaN waveguides grown by metal organic chemical vapor deposition Appl. Phys. Lett. 102, 221106 (2013); 10.1063/1.4800554Blue second harmonic generation from aluminum nitride films deposited onto silicon by sputtering technique

Optical confinement in beta silicon carbide (β-SiC) thin films on sapphire substrate is demonstrated. Measurements are performed on waveguides formed by the mechanical transfer of thin β-SiC films to sapphire. Recent results of epitaxial films of SiC on sapphire substrates attest to the technological viability of optoelectronic devices made from silicon carbide. Far-field mode patterns are shown. We believe this is the first step in validating a silicon carbide optoelectronic technology.