Carbon-Related Deep-Level Defects and Turn-On Recovery Characteristics in AlGaN/GaN Hetero-Structures

Abstract

ABSTRACTWe have investigated on a relation between C-related deep-level defects and turn-on recovery characteristics in bulk regions of AlGaN/GaN hetero-structures containing various C concentrations, employing their Schottky barrier diodes. With decreasing the growth temperature of the GaN buffer layer, three specific deep-level defects located at ∼2.07, ∼2.75, and ∼3.23 eV below the conduction band were significantly enhanced probably due to the C impurity incorporation into the GaN buffer layer. Among them, the ∼2.75 and ∼3.23 eV levels are considered to be strongly responsible for the two-dimensional electron gas (2DEG) carrier trapping in the bulk regions of the hetero-structures, from their turn-on current recovery characteristics under various optical illuminations.