Macro-pyramid in GaN Film

A thin film of GaN with the thickness of 1.0μm was grown onα-Al2O3 substrate by metal organic chemical vapour disposition and then a thick GaN film with thickness of 12μm was grown in the halide vapour phase epitaxy system.Some macro-pyramids appeared on the surface of the sample.The macro-pyramids made the surface of the GaN film rough,which was harmful to the devices made by GaN materials.These defects changed the distribution of carrier concentration and affected the optical properties of GaN.The step height of the pyramids was about 30-40 nm measured by atomic force microscopy.A simple model was proposed to explain the macro-pyramid phenomenon compared with the growth spiral.The growth of the macro-pyramid was relative to the physical conditions in the reaction zone.Both increasing growth temperature and low pressure may reduce the pyramid size.