Strain Analysis of GaN HEMTs on (111) Silicon with Two Transitional AlxGa1-xN Layers

We have designed and then grown a simple structure for high electron mobility transistors (HEMTs) on silicon, where as usual two transitional layers of Al_xGa_1-xN (x = 0.35, x = 0.17) have been used in order to engineer the induced strain as a result of the large lattice mismatch and large thermal expansion coefficient difference between GaN and silicon. Detailed x-ray reciprocal space mapping (RSM) measurements have been taken in order to study the strain, along with cross-section scanning electron microscope (SEM) images and x-ray diffraction (XRD) curve measurements. It has been found that it is critical to achieve a crack-free GaN HEMT epi-wafer with high crystal quality by obtaining a high quality AlN buffer, and then tuning the proper thickness and aluminium composition of the two transitional Al_xGa_1-xN layers. Finally, HEMTs with high performance that are fabricated on the epi-wafer have been demonstrated to confirm the success of our strain engineering and above analysis.

Electron Traps in n-GaN Grown on Si (111) Substrates by MOVPE

Deep level electron traps in n-GaN grown by metal organic vapor phase epitaxy (MOVPE) on Si (111) substrate were studied by means of deep level transient spectroscopy (DLTS). The growth of n-GaN on different pair number of AlN/GaN superlattice buffer layers (SLS) system and on c-face sapphire substrate are compared. Three deep electron traps labeled E4 (0.7-0.8 eV), E5 (1.0-1.1 eV), were observed in n-GaN on Si substrate. And the concentrations of these traps observed for n-GaN on Si are very different from that on sapphire substrate. E4 is the dominant of these levels for n-GaN on Si substrate, and it behaves like point-defect due to based on the analysis by electron capture kinetics, in spite of having high dislocation density of the order of 1010 cm−3.