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The formation of intrinsic point defects in the N-sublattice of semi-insulating Mg-doped GaN crystals grown by the ammonothermal method (SI AT GaN:Mg) was investigated for the first time. The grown-in defects produced by the displacement of nitrogen atoms were experimentally observed as deep traps revealed by the Laplace transform photoinduced transient spectroscopy in the compensated p-type crystals with the Mg concentrations of 6 × 1018 and 2 × 1019 cm−3 and resistivities of ~1011 Ωcm and ~106 Ωcm, respectively. In both kinds of materials, three closely located traps with activation energies of 430, 450, and 460 meV were revealed. The traps, whose concentrations in the stronger-doped material were found to be significantly higher, are assigned to the (3+/+) and (2+/+) transition levels of nitrogen vacancies as well as to the (2+/+) level of nitrogen split interstitials, respectively. In the material with the lower Mg concentration, a middle-gap trap with the activation energy of 1870 meV was found to be predominant. The results are confirmed and quantitatively described by temperature-dependent Hall effect measurements. The mechanism of nitrogen atom displacement due to the local strain field arising in SI AT GaN:Mg is proposed and the effect of the Mg concentration on the charge compensation is discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The formation of intrinsic point defects in the N-sublattice of semi-insulating Mg-doped GaN crystals grown by the ammonothermal method (SI AT GaN:Mg) was investigated for the first time. The grown-in defects produced by the displacement of nitrogen atoms were experimentally observed as deep traps revealed by the Laplace transform photoinduced transient spectroscopy in the compensated p-type crystals with the Mg concentrations of 6 × 1018 and 2 × 1019 cm−3 and resistivities of ~1011 Ωcm and ~106 Ωcm, respectively. In both kinds of materials, three closely located traps with activation energies of 430, 450, and 460 meV were revealed. The traps, whose concentrations in the stronger-doped material were found to be significantly higher, are assigned to the (3+/+) and (2+/+) transition levels of nitrogen vacancies as well as to the (2+/+) level of nitrogen split interstitials, respectively. In the material with the lower Mg concentration, a middle-gap trap with the activation energy of 1870 meV was found to be predominant. The results are confirmed and quantitatively described by temperature-dependent Hall effect measurements. The mechanism of nitrogen atom displacement due to the local strain field arising in SI AT GaN:Mg is proposed and the effect of the Mg concentration on the charge compensation is discussed.

This paper reviews the near-equilibrium ammonothermal (NEAT) growth of bulk gallium nitride (GaN) crystals and reports the evaluation of 2″ GaN substrates and 100 mmbulk GaN crystal grown in our pilot production reactor. Recent progress in oxygen reduction enabled growing NEAT GaN substrates with lower residual oxygen, coloration, and optical absorption. The oxygen concentration was approximately 2 × 1018 cm−2, and the optical absorption coefficient was 1.3 cm−1 at 450 nm. Maps of full-width half maximum (FWHM) of X-ray diffraction rocking curveswere generated for grown crystals and finished wafers. The X-ray rocking curve maps confirmed high-quality and uniform microstructure across the entire surface of the bulk crystals and substrates. The average FWHM of the 50 best bulk crystals from the recent batch was 28 ± 4 arcsec for the 002 diffraction and 34 ± 5 arcsec for the 201 diffraction, with an average radius of curvature of 20 m. X-ray topography measured on both sides of the bulk crystals implied that the density of dislocations wasreduced by one order of magnitude during the NEAT growth. A typical NEAT GaN substrate shows dislocation density of about 2 × 105 cm−2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reviews the near-equilibrium ammonothermal (NEAT) growth of bulk gallium nitride (GaN) crystals and reports the evaluation of 2″ GaN substrates and 100 mmbulk GaN crystal grown in our pilot production reactor. Recent progress in oxygen reduction enabled growing NEAT GaN substrates with lower residual oxygen, coloration, and optical absorption. The oxygen concentration was approximately 2 × 1018 cm−2, and the optical absorption coefficient was 1.3 cm−1 at 450 nm. Maps of full-width half maximum (FWHM) of X-ray diffraction rocking curveswere generated for grown crystals and finished wafers. The X-ray rocking curve maps confirmed high-quality and uniform microstructure across the entire surface of the bulk crystals and substrates. The average FWHM of the 50 best bulk crystals from the recent batch was 28 ± 4 arcsec for the 002 diffraction and 34 ± 5 arcsec for the 201 diffraction, with an average radius of curvature of 20 m. X-ray topography measured on both sides of the bulk crystals implied that the density of dislocations wasreduced by one order of magnitude during the NEAT growth. A typical NEAT GaN substrate shows dislocation density of about 2 × 105 cm−2.

A novel, highly scalable apparatus has been employed to perform high temperature ammonothermal growth of (0001) GaN bulk crystals up to 52 mm in diameter and to a thickness of greater than 2 mm. X-ray characterization of the crystals shows excellent crystallinity with radii of curvature > 20 m and a 201 rocking curve FWHM of <30 arcsec. Hall effect and optical absorption measurements performed on the crystal show a free carrier concentration of 1.1 × 1018 cm−3 and an absorption coefficient of 1 cm−1 at 450 nm and 2 cm−1 at 410 nm, meeting the substrate requirements for use as a native substrate in blue or violet LED devices. To the best of our knowledge, this is the lowest optical absorption coefficient reported for ammonothermally-grown GaN having a carrier concentration above 1018 cm−3. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is demonstrated in this paper that 1.9-mm-thick gallium nitride grown by Hydride Vapor Phase Epitaxy (HVPE) on an ammonothermally grown GaN seed can reproduce the structural, in terms of defects, properties of the seed. The etch pit density and its correlation to the threading dislocation density in the ammonothermal GaN substrate and the HVPE-GaN layer is presented and analyzed. However, it has recently been observed that for HVPE-GaN thicker than 2 mm some additional defects are formed in the new grown material. Therefore, three HVPE growth runs were performed in the same experimental conditions, using three structurally identical ammonothermally grown GaN seeds of different thicknesses. The influence of the thickness of the seeds on the crystallization process and the properties of the HVPE-GaN layers is shown and discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, we report on the fabrication of electrical isolation for planar AlGaN/GaN high electron mobility transistors (HEMTs) using Al and C ion implantation. Our methodology was to maintain uniform vacancy concentration (>4 × 1020 cm−3) up to the depth of 0.7 µm for both ion species. Electrical measurements have shown that after implantation, the sheet resistance was 1 × 1011 Ω/□ and increased to 5 × 1013-1 × 1014 Ω/□ after annealing at 400 °C and to 5 × 1012-1 × 1013 Ω/□ after annealing at 600 °C. Further annealing at 800 °C decreased the sheet resistance to 5 × 107 Ω/□ and 1 × 108 Ω/□, respectively for C and Al implantation. Characterization by XRD, Raman and photoluminescence spectroscopy provides evidence that implantation damages the crystal lattice, yielding insulating properties. It is demonstrated that the isolation is stable up to 600 °C. We also demonstrate AlGaN/GaN HEMTs on semi-insulating Ammono-GaN substrates working both in DC ( IDS = 800 mA/mm) and RF (up to 6.5 GHz) mode with isolation prepared by means of the described approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Ammonothermal systems are modeled using fluid dynamics and heat and mass transfer models. The nutrient is considered as a porous media bed and the flow is simulated using the Darcy–Brinkman–Forchheimer model. The resulting governing equations are solved using the finite volume method. The effects of baffle design on flow pattern, heat and mass transfer in an autoclave are analyzed. For the research-grade autoclave with an internal diameter of 2.22 cm, the constraint for the GaN growth is found to be the growth kinetics and the total area of seed surfaces in the case of baffle opening of 10% (including the central opening of 5% and ring opening of 5%). The fluid flow across the baffle is a clockwise circulating flow which goes upwards in the central hole and downwards in the ring gap. Transport phenomena have been also studied in large-size ammonothermal growth systems with internal diameters of 4.44 cm and 10 cm. The flow pattern across the baffle changes to an anticlockwise circulating flow which goes upwards in the ring gap and downwards in the central hole in the case of 10% baffle opening. Since ammonothermal growth experiments are expensive and time-consuming, modeling becomes an effective tool for research and optimization of the ammonothermal growth processes. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Gallium nitride (GaN) is a wide-bandgap semiconductor material with a wide array of applications in optoelectronics and electronics. Modeling of the fluid flow and thermal fields is discussed, and simulations of velocity and volumetric-flow-rate profiles in different pressure systems are shown. The nutrient is considered as a porous media bed, and the flow is simulated using the Darcy-Brinkman-Forchheimer model. The resulting governing equations are solved using the finite-volume method. We analyzed the heat and mass transfer behaviors in autoclaves with diameters of 2.22, 4.44, and 10 cm. The effects of baffle design on flow pattern, and heat and mass transfer in different autoclaves are analyzed. For the research-grade autoclave with diameter of 2.22 cm, the constraint for the GaN growth is found to be the growth kinetics and the total area of seed surfaces in the case of baffle opening of 10%. For large-size pressure systems, the concentration profiles change dramatically due to stronger convection at higher Grashof numbers. The volumetric flow rates of the solvent across the baffles are calculated. Since ammonothermal growth experiments are expensive and time consuming, modeling becomes an effective tool for research and optimization of ammonothermal growth processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite the rapid commercialization of III-nitride semiconductor devices for applications in visible and ultraviolet optoelectronics and in high-power and high-frequency electronics, their full potential is limited by two primary obstacles: i) a high defect density and biaxial strain due to the heteroepitaxial growth on foreign substrates, which result in lower performance and shortened device lifetime, and ii) a strong built-in electric field due to spontaneous and piezoelectric polarization in the wurtzite structures along the well-established [0001] growth direction for nitrides. Recent advances in the research, development, and commercial production of native GaN substrates with low defect density and high structural and optical quality have opened opportunities to overcome both of these obstacles and have led to significant progress in the development of several optoelectronic and high-power devices. In this paper, the recent achievements in bulk GaN growth development using different approaches are reviewed; comparison of the bulk materials grown in different directions is made; and the current achievements in device performance utilizing native GaN substrate material are summarized. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The numerical simulation of an ammonothermal process for growing GaN bulk single crystals has been performed by using the SC/Tetra computational fluid dynamics software. The autoclave is assumed to be axisymmetric. Heat transfer by natural convection is discussed in the case of flat and funnel-shaped baffles. Simulation results show that the optimum baffle angle is approximately 20°. This result is identical to that obtained in our previous study on the hydrothermal ZnO crystal growth process. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Modeling of fluid flows in crystal growth processes has become an important research area in theoretical and applied mechanics. Most crystal growth processes involve fluid flows, such as flows in the melt, solution or vapor. Theoretical modeling has played an important role in developing technologies used for growing semiconductor crystals for high performance electronic and optoelectronic devices. The application of devices requires large diameter crystals with a high degree of crystallographic perfection, low defect density and uniform dopant distribution. In this article, the flow models developed in modeling of the crystal growth processes such as Czochralski, ammonothermal and physical vapor transport methods are reviewed. In the Czochralski growth modeling, the flow models for thermocapillary flow, turbulent flow and MHD flow have been developed. In the ammonothermal growth modeling, the buoyancy and porous media flow models have been developed based on a single-domain and continuum approach for the composite fluid-porous layer systems. In the physical vapor transport growth modeling, the Stefan flow model has been proposed based on the flow-kinetics theory for the vapor growth. In addition, perspectives for future studies on crystal growth modeling are proposed. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]