Photoluminescence of GaN epitaxial layers

A Brief Overview of the Rapid Progress and Proposed Improvements in Gallium Nitride Epitaxy and Process for Third-Generation Semiconductors with Wide Bandgap

In this paper, we will discuss the rapid progress of third-generation semiconductors with wide bandgap, with a special focus on the gallium nitride (GaN) on silicon (Si). This architecture has high mass-production potential due to its low cost, larger size, and compatibility with CMOS-fab processes. As a result, several improvements have been proposed in terms of epitaxy structure and high electron mobility transistor (HEMT) process, particularly in the enhancement mode (E-mode). IMEC has made significant strides using a 200 mm 8-inch Qromis Substrate Technology (QST^®) substrate for breakdown voltage to achieve 650 V in 2020, which was further improved to 1200 V by superlattice and carbon-doped in 2022. In 2016, IMEC adopted VEECO metal-organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) for GaN on Si HEMT epitaxy structure and the process by implementing a three-layer field plate to improve dynamic on-resistance (R_ON). In 2019, Panasonic HD-GITs plus field version was utilized to effectively improve dynamic R_ON. Both reliability and dynamic RON have been enhanced by these improvements.

Time Resolved Photoluminescence Spectroscopy on GaN Epitaxial Layers

Free and bound exciton luminescences as well as donor-acceptor pair recombination of GaN epitaxial layers on 6H-SiC and sapphire substrates were investigated using time integrated and time resolved photoluminescence measurements at low temperatures. Lifetimes are determined for the donor bound exciton at 3.4722eV and for two acceptor bound excitons with energies of 3.4672eV and 3.459eV. Luminescences between 3.29eV and 3.37eV are identified as due to excitons deeply bound to centers located near the substrate-epilayer interface.