Fabrication of Gallium Nitride Films in a Chemical Vapor Deposition Reactor

Abstract

A numerical study has been carried out on the metalorganic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) process for the fabrication of gallium nitride (GaN) thin films, which range from a few nanometers to micrometers in thickness. The numerical study is also coupled with an experimental study on the flow and thermal transport processes in the system. Of particular interest in this study is the dependence of the growth rate of GaN and of the uniformity of the film on the flow, resulting from the choice of various design and operating parameters involved in the MOCVD process. Based on an impingement type rotating-disk reactor, three-dimensional simulations have been preformed to indicate the deposition rate increases with reactor pressure, inlet velocity, and wafer rotating speed, while decreases with the precursor concentration ratio. Additionally, a better film uniformity is caused by reducing the reactor pressure, inlet velocity and wafer rotating speed, and increasing precursor concentration ratio. With the impact of wafer temperature included in this study as well, these results are expected to provide a quantitative basis for the prediction, design, and optimization of the process for the fabrication of GaN devices. The flow and the associated transport processes are discussed in detail on the basis of the results obtained to suggest approaches to improve the uniformity of thin film, minimize fluid loss, and reduce flow recirculation that could affect growth rate and uniformity.