Growth and Doping of GaN Films by ECR-Assisted MBE

Abstract

ABSTRACTWe report on growth, doping, and characterization studies of GaN films produced by the Electron Cyclotron Resonance microwave plasma assisted Molecular Beam Epitaxy. The films were grown heteroepitaxially on sapphire (0001), whose surface was converted into atomically smooth AIN by plasma nitridation. The GaN films were grown in two temperature steps, a process found to promote the layer-by-layer growth mode. ECR plasma conditions to grow either n-type autodoped or semi-insulating GaN film were identified. The structure and microstructure as well as the electrical properties of these two classes of films are discussed. A systematic dependence between electron mobility and net carrier concentration was found, which predicts that the mobility of GaN with a net carrier concentration of 1014cm−3 is about 104cm2 /V.s. The insulating films were intentionally doped either p-type or n-type by incorporation of Mg or Si during film growth. Hole or electron concentrations at 300K between 1018-1019cm−3 have been obtained without requiring any post-growth treatment.