Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

High carrier concentrations of n- and p-doped GaN on Si(111) by nitrogen plasma-assisted molecular-beam epitaxy

  • Published:
Journal of Materials Research Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

High-quality doped GaN layers were grown on silicon substrates by radio frequency nitrogen plasma-assisted molecular-beam epitaxy. High-temperature-grown AlN (about 200 nm) was used as a buffer layer. In-growth doping was done using high-purity Si and Mg as n- and p-type dopants, respectively. X-ray diffraction revealed that monocrystalline GaN was obtained. This is in good agreement with the results of morphological study by atomic force microscopy. Micro-photoluminescence (PL) and micro-Raman spectroscopy were used to study the room-temperature optical properties of the doping films. No yellow-band emission was observed in the PL spectroscopy. From the Hall measurements, the resulting n-type doping concentration was measured to be (1–2) × 1019 cm−3. Fairly uniform hole concentration as high as (4–5) × 1020 cm−3 throughout the GaN crystal was achieved. In terms of the carrier concentration, it was found that the results determined from the Fourier transform infrared analysis are in good agreement with the results determined from the Hall measurements.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

FIG. 1
FIG. 2
FIG. 3
FIG. 4
FIG. 5
FIG. 6
TABLE I.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. S.C. Jain, M. Willander, J. Narayan R. Van Overstraeten: III–nitrides: Growth, characterization, and properties. J. Appl. Phys. 87, 965 2000

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. J.W. Yang, A. Lunev, G. Simin, A. Chitnis, M. Shatalov, M.A. Khan, J.E. Van Nostrand R. Gaska: Selective area deposited blue GaN–InGaN multiple-quantum-well light-emitting diodes over silicon substrates. Appl. Phys. Lett. 76, 273 2000

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. A. Dadgar, J. Christen, T. Riemann, S. Richter, J. Blaesing, A. Diez, A. Krost, A. Alam M. Heuken: Bright blue electroluminescence from an InGaN/GaN multiquantum-well diode on Si(111): Impact of an AlGaN/GaN multilayer. Appl. Phys. Lett. 78, 2211 2001

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. P.W. Deelmann, R.N. Bicknell-Tassius, S. Nikishin, V. Kuryatkov H. Temkin: Low-noise GaN Schottky diodes on Si(111) by molecular beam epitaxy. Appl. Phys. Lett. 78, 2172 2001

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Y. Hiroyama M. Tamura: Effect of very thin SiC layer on heteroepitaxial growth of cubic GaN on Si (001). Jpn. J. Appl. Phys. 37, L630 1998

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. L.T. Romano, J.E. Northrup M.A. O’Keefe: Inversion domains in GaN grown on sapphire. Appl. Phys. Lett. 69, 2394 1996

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. C. Stampfl, J. Neugebauer C. de Van Walle: Doping of AlxGa1−xN alloys. Mater. Sci. Eng., B 59, 253 1999

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. C. Wang R.F. Davis: Deposition of highly resistive, undoped, and p-type, magnesium-doped gallium nitride films by modified gas source molecular beam epitaxy. Appl. Phys. Lett. 63, 990 1993

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. R.J. Molnar, R. Singh T.D. Moustakas: Blue-violet light emitting gallium nitride p-n junctions grown by electron cyclotron resonance-assisted molecular beam epitaxy. Appl. Phys. Lett. 66, 268 1995

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. M. Johnson, S. Fujita, W. Rowland, W. Hughes, Y.H. He, N. El-Masry, J. Cook J. Schetzina: MBE Growth and properties of GaN and AlxGa1−xN on GaN/SiC substrates. J. Electron. Mater. 25, 793 1996

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. T. Dumelow, T.J. Parker, S.R.P. Smith D.R. Tilley: Far-infrared spectroscopy of phonons and plasmons in semiconductor superlattices. Surf. Sci. Rep. 37, 151 1993

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. R.H. Lyddane, R.G. Sachs E. Teller: On the polar vibrations of alkali halides. Phys. Rev. 59, 673 1941

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. K.S. Stevens, A. Ohtani, M. Kinnigurgh R. Beresford: Microstructure of AlN on Si (111) grown by plasma-assisted molecular-beam epitaxy. Appl. Phys. Lett. 65, 321 1994

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. W.J. Meng T.A. Perry: Strain effects in epitaxial GaN grown on AlN-buffered Si(111). J. Appl. Phys. 76, 7824 1994

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. K. Yasutake, A. Takeuchi, H. Kakiuchi K. Yoshii: Molecular beam epitaxial growth of AlN single crystalline films on Si (111) using radio-frequency plasma assisted nitrogen radical source. J. Vac. Sci. Technol., A 16, 2140 1998

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. A. Ohtani, K.S. Stevens R. Beresford: Microstructure and photoluminescence of GaN grown on Si(111) by plasma-assisted molecular-beam epitaxy. Appl. Phys. Lett. 65, 61 1994

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. E. Calleja, M.A. Sanchez-Garcia, F.J. Sanchez, F. Calle, F.B. Naranjo, E. Munoz, S.I. Molina, A.M. Sanchez, F.J. Pacheco R. Garcia: Growth of III-nitrides on Si(1 1 1) by molecular beam epitaxy Doping, optical, and electrical properties. J. Cryst. Growth 201/202, 296 1999

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. J. Ristic, M.A. Sanchez-Garcia, E. Calleja, A. Perez-Rodriguez, C. Serre, A. Romano-Rodriguez J.R. Morante: Growth of GaN layers on SiC/Si(111) substrate by molecular beam epitaxy. J. Cryst. Growth 263, 30 2004

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. A. Reiher, J. Blasing, A. Dadgar, A. Diez A. Krost: Efficient stress relief in GaN heteroepitaxy on Si(1 1 1) using low-temperature AlN interlayers. J. Cryst. Growth 248, 563 2003

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. W. Qian, M. Skowronski M. De Graef: Microstructural characterization of α–GaN films grown on sapphire by organometallic vapor phase epitaxy. Appl. Phys. Lett. 66, 1252 1995

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. B. Yang, A. Trampert, O. Brandt, B. Jenichen K.H. Ploog: Structural properties of GaN layers on Si(001) grown by plasma-assisted molecular-beam epitaxy. J. Appl. Phys. 83, 3800 1998

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  22. M.A. Sanchez-Garcia, E. Calleja, F.J. Sanchez, F. Calle, E. Monroy, D. Basak, E. Munoz, C. Villar, A. Sanz-Hervas, M. Aguilar, J.J. Serrano J.M. Blanco: Growth optimization and doping with Si and Be of high quality GaN on Si(111) by molecular beam epitaxy. J. Electron. Mater. 27, 276 1998

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  23. T.D. Moustakas: Epitaxial growth of GaN films produced by ECR-assisted MBE in Gallium Nitride and Related Materials edited by F.A. Ponce, R.D. Dupuis, S. Nakamura, and J.A. Edmond Mater. Res. Soc. Symp. Proc. 395, Pittsburgh, PA 1996 111

  24. S.S. Ng, Z. Hassan H. Abu Hassan: Optical characteristics of GaN epilayer grown on silicon substrate by Raman and PL spectroscopy. J. Solid State Sci. Technol. Lett. 12(Suppl.), 75 2005

    Google Scholar 

  25. F. Semond, B. Damilano, S. Vezian, N. Grandjean, M. Leroux J. Massies: GaN grown on Si(111) substrate: From two-dimensional growth to quantum well assessment. Appl. Phys. 75, 82 1999

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  26. S.D. Lester, F.A. Ponce, M.G. Craford D.A. Steigerwald: High dislocation densities in high efficiency GaN-based light-emitting diodes. Appl. Phys. Lett. 66, 1249 1999

    Article  Google Scholar 

  27. T. Prokofyeva, M. Seon, J. Vanbuskirk, M. Holtz, S.A. Nikishin, N.N. Faleev, H. Temkin S. Zollner: Vibrational properties of AlN grown on (111)-oriented silicon. Phys. Rev. B 63, 125313 2001

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  28. T. Kozawa, T. Kachi, H. Kano, Y. Taga M. Hashimoto: Raman scattering from LO phonon-plasmon coupled modes in gallium nitride. J. Appl. Phys. 75, 1098 1994

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  29. G. Kaczmarczyk, A. Kaschner, A. Hoffman C. Thomsen: Impurity-induced modes Mg, As, Si, and C in heagonal and cubic GaN. Phys. Rev. B 61, 5353 2000

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  30. A. Kaschner, H. Siegle, A. Hoffman, C. Thomsen, U. Birkle, S. Einfeldt D. Hommel: Influence of doping on the lattice dynamics of gallium nitride. MRS Internet J. Nitride Semicond. Res. 4S1, G3.57 1999

    Google Scholar 

  31. Y.V. Melnik, K.V. Vassilevski, I.P. Nikitina, A.I. Babanin, V.Y. Davydov V.A. Dmitriev: Physical properties of bulk GaN crystals grown by HVPE. MRS Internet J. Nitride Semicond. Res. 2, 39 1997

    Article  Google Scholar 

  32. O. Svensk, S. Suihkonen, T. Lang, H. Lipsanen, M. Sopanen, M.A. Odnoblyudov V.E. Bougrov: Effect of growth conditions on electrical properties of Mg-doped p-GaN. J. Cryst. Growth 298, 811 2007

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  33. J.M. Myoung, C. Kim, K.H. Shim, O. Gluschenkov, K. Kim M.C. Yoo: High-quality p-type GaN films grown by plasma-assisted molecular-beam epitaxy in III-Nitride, SiC and Diamond Materials for Electronic Devices edited by D.K. Gaskill, C.D. Brandt, and R.J. Nemanich Mater. Res. Soc. Symp. Proc. 423, Pittsburgh, PA 1996 385

  34. P.W. Anderson: Absence of diffusion in certain random lattices. Phys. Rev. 109, 1492 1958

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  35. N.F. Mott, E.A. Davis: Electronic Process in Non-Crystalline Materials University Press London, UK 1979

    Google Scholar 

  36. B.I. Shklovskii, A.L. Efi-os: Electronic Properties of Doped Semiconductors Springer Berlin, Germany 1984

    Book  Google Scholar 

  37. D.W. Berreman: Infrared absorption at longitudinal optic frequency in cubic crystal films. Phys. Rev. 130, 2193 1963

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  38. T. Kozawa, T. Kachi, H. Kano, Y. Taga M. Hashimoto: Raman scattering from LO phonon-plasmon coupled modes in gallium nitride. J. Appl. Phys. 75, 1098 1994

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  39. G. Mirjalili, T. Dumelow, T.J. Parker, S.F. Shayesteh, T.S. Cheng, C.T. Foxon, L.C. Jenkins D.E. Lacklinson: Far infrared spectroscopy of thin epitaxial layers of GaN deposited by molecular beam epitaxy on GaP substrates. Infrared Phys. Technol. 37, 389 1996

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  40. V.Y. Davydov, Y.E. Kitaev, I.N. Goncharuk, A.N. Smirnov, J. Graul, O. Semchinova, D. Uffmann, M.B. Smirnov, A.P. Mirgorodsky R.A. Evarestov: Phonon dispersion and Raman scattering in hexagonal GaN and AlN. Phys. Rev. B 58, 12899 1998

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  41. G. Yu, H. Ishikawa, T. Egawa, T. Soga, J. Watanabe, T. Jimbo M. Umeno: Polarized reflectance spectroscopy and spectroscopic ellipsometry determination of the optical anisotropy of gallium nitride on sapphire. Jpn. J. Appl. Phys. 36, L1029 2007

    Article  Google Scholar 

  42. C. Persson, R. Ahyja, A. Ferreira da Silva B. Johansson: Effective electronic masses in wurtzite and zinc-blende GaN and AlN. J. Cryst. Growth 231, 407 2001

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  43. V. Bougrov, M. Levinshtein, S. Rumyantsev A. Zubrilov Properties of Advanced Semiconductor Materials: GaN, AlN, InN, BN, SiC, SiGe, edited by M.E. Levinshtein, S.L. Rumyantsev, and M.S. Shur John Wiley & Sons New York 2001

  44. Yu. Goldberg: Aluminum nitride in Properties of Advanced Semiconductor Materials: GaN, AlN, InN, BN, SiC, SiGe, edited by M.E. Levinshtein, S.L. Rumyantsev, and M.S. Shur John Wiley & Sons New York 2001

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to acknowledge Universiti Sains Malaysia and Intensification Research in Priority Areas (IRPA) RMK-8 Strategic Research for financial support.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Physics, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 11800, Penang, Malaysia

    L. S. Chuah, Z. Hassan, S. S. Ng & H. Abu Hassan

Authors
  1. L. S. Chuah
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Z. Hassan
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. S. S. Ng
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. H. Abu Hassan
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Z. Hassan.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Chuah, L.S., Hassan, Z., Ng, S.S. et al. High carrier concentrations of n- and p-doped GaN on Si(111) by nitrogen plasma-assisted molecular-beam epitaxy. Journal of Materials Research 22, 2623–2630 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1557/jmr.2007.0336

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1557/jmr.2007.0336

Search

Navigation