Growth of thick GaN layers on 4‐in. and 6‐in. silicon (111) by metal‐organic vapor phase epitaxy

Abstract

In this paper, we report on the growth of thick gallium nitride (GaN) layers on 4‐in. and 6‐in., (111)‐orientated silicon substrates by metalorganic vapor phase epitaxy. Up to 4 µm thick continuous GaN layers have been obtained by inserting both SiN and AlN interlayers into the structure. With dislocation densities of about 1‐2×109 cm‐2 and GaN(002) and (302) X‐ray rocking curve full widths at half maximum of 420 and 1360 arcsec for 4‐in. and 374 and 810 arcsec for 6‐in., respectively, the final continuous GaN layer exhibits excellent crystalline properties (© 2011 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)

Crack Statististics and Stress Analysis of Thick GaN on Patterned Silicon Substrate

“…In the case of GaN grown on Si, large tensile stress is induced while cooling down from growth temperature to room temperature. This tensile stress increases with the thickness and eventually cracks occur over a critical thickness . To prevent cracking in thick GaN film, patterned Si substrates are used which releases the stress through the free edges.…”

“…Many groups attempted to reduce the stress, avoid forming cracks and improve the quality of the GaN layer . Techniques that are used widely are AlN interlayers, AlN/GaN super lattices, multiple stacking layers, low temperature AlN interlayer and patterned substrate . Recently it turned out that using patterned substrate thick crack free GaN layer can be grown .…”

Realization of compressively strained GaN films grown on Si(110) substrates by inserting a thin AlN/GaN superlattice interlayer

“…13 Recently, Si(110) substrate has been proposed for the III-nitrides growth 14 due to its better lattice match to III-nitrides than that of a Si(111) one. Compared to the AlN/Si(111) with equibiaxial tensile strain ($19%), the AlN/Si(110) shows unequally biaxial tensile strain along the [1-100] AlN //[100] Si ($19%) and [11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20] AlN //[1-10] Si ($0.7%) directions. It is a challenge to apply such a type substrate to the III-nitride hetero-epitaxial growth, especially for the realization of crack-free thick film growth.…”

“…Si(111) substrates have been realized by inserting both SiN and AlN interlayers during the metalorganic vapor phase expitaxy (MOVPE) growth. 12 However, almost all the GaN films grown on Si(111) substrates are still in a tensile strain state. 13 Recently, Si(110) substrate has been proposed for the III-nitrides growth 14 due to its better lattice match to III-nitrides than that of a Si(111) one.…”

Growth of nitride‐based light emitting diodes with a high‐reflectivity distributed Bragg reflector on mesa‐patterned silicon substrate

“…However, the growth of GaN on silicon substrate requires to develop complex buffer layers in order to avoid the apparition of cracks and to obtain high quality layers [1,2]. Another way to achieve uncracked and high quality layers is to use mesa patterned Si substrates [3,4].…”