Al_xGa_1-xN layer was grown on sapphire substrate with GaN template by Metal Organic Chemical Vapor Deposition system (MOCVD). High temperature AlN (HT-AlN) interlayer was inserted between Al_xGa_1-xN layer and GaN template to solve the cracking problem that often appears on Al_xGa_1-xN surface when directly grown on high temperature GaN template. Optical microscope, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), atomic force microscope (AFM), high resolution x-ray diffraction (HRXRD) and cathodoluminescence (CL) were used for characterization. It was found that the cracking was successfully eliminated. Furthermore, the crystalline quality of Al_xGa_1-xN layer with HT-AlN interlayer was much improved. Interference fringes were found in the HRXRD images. CL test showed that yellow emission was much reduced for AlGaN layer with HT-AlN interlayer.

Date Published: 4 January 2008
PDF: 6 pages
Proc. SPIE 6841, Solid State Lighting and Solar Energy Technologies, 68410K (4 January 2008); doi: 10.1117/12.755635

Published in SPIE Proceedings Vol. 6841:
Solid State Lighting and Solar Energy Technologies
Jinmin Li; Yuwen Zhao; Nuofu Chen; Ling Wu; Yubo Fan; Vladimir M. Andreev; Yong-Hang Zhang; Jai Singh; Michael E. Coltrin, Editor(s)