Damage evolution and removal behaviors of GaN crystals involved in double-grits grinding

Elucidating the complex interactions between the work material and abrasives during grinding of gallium nitride(GaN)single crystals is an active and challenging research area.In this study,molecular dynamics simulations were performed on double-grits interacted grinding of GaN crystals;and the grinding force,coefficient of friction,stress distribution,plastic damage behaviors,and abrasive damage were systematically investigated.The results demonstrated that the interacted distance in both radial and transverse directions achieved better grinding quality than that in only one direction.The grinding force,grinding induced stress,subsurface damage depth,and abrasive wear increase as the transverse interacted distance increases.However,there was no clear correlation between the interaction distance and the number of atoms in the phase transition and dislocation length.Appropriate interacted distances between abrasives can decrease grinding force,coefficient of friction,grinding induced stress,subsurface damage depth,and abrasive wear during the grinding process.The results of grinding tests combined with cross-sectional transmission electron micrographs validated the simulated damage results,i.e.amorphous atoms,high-pressure phase transition,dislocations,stacking faults,and lattice distortions.The results of this study will deepen our understanding of damage accumulation and material removal resulting from coupling between abrasives during grinding and can be used to develop a feasible approach to the wheel design of ordered abrasives.

Direct growth of graphene on gallium nitride by using chemical vapor deposition without extra catalyst

Graphene on gallium nitride （GaN） will be quite useful when the graphene is used as transparent electrodes to improve the performance of gallium nitride devices. In this work, we report the direct synthesis of graphene on GaN without an extra catalyst by chemical vapor deposition. Raman spectra indicate that the graphene films are uniform and about 5-6 layers in thickness. Meanwhile, the effects of growth temperatures on the growth of graphene films are systematically studied, of which 950 ℃ is found to be the optimum growth temperature. The sheet resistance of the grown graphene is 41.1 Ω/square, which is close to the lowest sheet resistance of transferred graphene reported. The mechanism of graphene growth on GaN is proposed and discussed in detail. XRD spectra and photoluminescence spectra indicate that the quality of GaN epi-layers will not be affected after the growth of graphene.

Structural,Morphological and Electrical Properties of In-Doped Zinc Oxide Nanostructure Thin Films Grown on p-Type Gallium Nitride by Simultaneous Radio-Frequency Direct-Current Magnetron Co-Sputtering

Zinc oxide （ZnO） is one of the most promising and frequently used semiconductor materials. In-doped nanos- tructure ZnO thin films are grown on p-type gallium nitride substrates by employing the simultaneous rf and dc magnetron co-sputtering technique. The effect of In-doping on structural, morphological and electrical properties is studied. The different dopant concentrations are accomplished by varying the direct current power of the In target while keeping the fixed radio frequency power of the ZnO target through the co-sputtering deposition technique by using argon as the sputtering gas at ambient temperature. The structural analysis confirms that all the grown thin films preferentially orientate along the c-axis with the wurtzite hexagonal crystal structure without having any kind of In oxide phases. The presenting Zn, 0 and In elements＇ chemical compositions are identified with EDX mapping analysis of the deposited thin films and the calculated M ratio has been found to decrease with the increasing In power. The surface topographies of the grown thin films are examined with the atomic force microscope technique. The obtained results reveal that the grown film roughness increases with the In power. The Hall measurements ascertain that all the grown films have n-type conductivity and also the other electrical parameters such as resistivity,mobility and carrier concentration are analyzed.

Self-screening of the polarized electric field in wurtzite gallium nitride along[0001]direction

The strong polarization effect of GaN-based materials is widely used in high-performance devices such as white-lightemitting diodes(white LEDs),high electron mobility transistors(HEMTs),and GaN polarization superjunctions.However,the current researches on the polarization mechanism of GaN-based materials are not sufficient.In this paper,we studied the influence of polarization on electric field and energy band characteristics of Ga-face GaN bulk materials by using a combination of theoretical analysis and semiconductor technology computer-aided design(TCAD) simulation.The selfscreening effect in Ga-face bulk GaN under ideal and non-ideal conditions is studied respectively.We believe that the formation of high-density two-dimensional electron gas(2 DEG) in GaN is the accumulation of screening charges.We also clarify the source and accumulation of the screening charges caused by the GaN self-screening effect in this paper and aim to guide the design and optimization of high-performance GaN-based devices.

Analysis and Characterization of Normally-Off Gallium Nitride High Electron Mobility Transistors

High electron mobility transistor(HEMT)based on gallium nitride(GaN)is one of the most promising candidates for the future generation of high frequencies and high-power electronic applications.This research work aims at designing and characterization of enhancement-mode or normally-off GaN HEMT.The impact of variations in gate length,mole concentration,barrier variations and other important design parameters on the performance of normally-off GaN HEMT is thoroughly investigated.An increase in the gate length causes a decrease in the drain current and transconductance,while an increase in drain current and transconductance can be achieved by increasing the concentration of aluminium(Al).For Al mole fractions of 23%,25%,and 27%,within Al gallium nitride(AlGaN)barrier,the GaN HEMT devices provide a maximum drain current of 347,408 and 474 mA/μm and a transconductance of 19,20.2,21.5 mS/μm,respectively.Whereas,for Al mole fraction of 10%and 15%,within AlGaN buffer,these devices are observed to provide a drain current of 329 and 283 mA/μm,respectively.Furthermore,for a gate length of 2.4,3.4,and 4.4μm,the device is observed to exhibit a maximum drain current of 272,235,and 221 mA/μm and the transconductance of 16.2,14,and 12.3 mS/μm,respectively.It is established that a maximum drain current of 997 mA/μm can be achieved with an Al concentration of 23%,and the device exhibits a steady drain current with enhanced transconductance.These observations demonstrate tremendous potential for two-dimensional electron gas(2DEG)for securing of the normally-off mode operation.A suitable setting of gate length and other design parameters is critical in preserving the normally-off mode operation while also enhancing the critical performance parameters at the same time.Due to the normallyon depletion-mode nature of GaN HEMT,it is usually not considered as suitable for high power levels,frequencies,and temperature.In such settings,a negative bias is required to enter the blocking condition;however,in the before-mentioned normally-off devices,the negative bias can be avoided and the channel can be depleted without applying a negative bias.

In-situ multi-information measurement system for preparing gallium nitride photocathode

We introduce the first domestic in-situ multi-information measurement system for a gallium nitride （GaN） photo- cathode. This system can successfully fulfill heat cleaning and activation for GaN in an ultrahigh vacuum environment and produce a GaN photocathode with a negative electron affinity （NEA） status. Information including the heat clean- ing temperature, vacuum degree, photocurrent, electric current of cesium source, oxygen source, and the most important information about the spectral response, or equivalently, the quantum efficiency （QE） can be obtained during prepa- ration. The preparation of a GaN photocathode with this system indicates that the optimal heating temperature in a vacuum is about 700 ~C. We also develop a method of quickly evaluating the atomically clean surface with the vacuum degree versus wavelength curve to prevent possible secondary contamination when the atomic level cleaning surface is tested with X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The photocurrent shows a quick enhancement when the current ratio between the cesium source and oxygen source is 1.025. The spectral response of the GaN photocathode is flat in a wavelength range from 240 nm to 365 nm, and an abrupt decline is observed at 365 nm, which demonstrates that with the in-si$u multi-information measurement system the NEA GaN photocathode can be successfully prepared.

Modeling,simulations,and optimizations of gallium oxide on gallium-nitride Schottky barrier diodes

With technology computer-aided design(TCAD)simulation software,we design a new structure of gallium oxide on gallium-nitride Schottky barrier diode(SBD).The parameters of gallium oxide are defined as new material parameters in the material library,and the SBD turn-on and breakdown behavior are simulated.The simulation results reveal that this new structure has a larger turn-on current than Ga2O3 SBD and a larger breakdown voltage than Ga N SBD.Also,to solve the lattice mismatch problem in the real epitaxy,we add a Zn O layer as a transition layer.The simulations show that the device still has good properties after adding this layer.

Review of a direct epitaxial approach to achieving micro-LEDs

There is a significantly increasing demand of developing augmented reality and virtual reality(AR and VR) devices,where micro-LEDs(μLEDs) with a dimension of ≤ 5 μm are the key elements. Typically, μLEDs are fabricated by dry-etching technologies, unavoidably leading to a severe degradation in optical performance as a result of dry-etching induced damages. This becomes a particularly severe issue when the dimension of LEDs is ≤ 10 μm. In order to address the fundamental challenge, the Sheffield team has proposed and then developed a direct epitaxial approach to achievingμLEDs, where the dry-etching technologies for the formation of μLED mesas are not needed anymore. This paper provides a review on this technology and then demonstrates a number of monolithically integrated devices on a single chip using this technology.

Effect of Different Etching Time on Fabrication of an Optoelectronic Device Based on GaN/Psi

Gallium nitride(GaN)/porous silicon(PSi)film was prepared using a pulsed laser deposition method and 1064 nm Nd:YAG laser for optoelectronic applications and a series of Psi substrates were fabricated using a photoelectrochemical etching method assisted by laser at different etching times for 2.5–15 min at 2.5 min intervals.X-ray diffraction,room-temperature photoluminescence,atomic force microscopy and field emission scanning electron microscopy images,and electrical characteristics in the prepared GaN on the Psi film were investigated.The optimum Psi substrate was obtained under the following conditions:10 min,10 mA/cm^(2),and 24%hydrofluoric acid.The substrate exhibited two highly cubic crystalline structures at(200)and(400)orientations and yellow visible band photoluminescence,and homogeneous pores formed over the entire surface.The pores had steep oval shapes and were accompanied by small dark pores that appeared topographically and morphologically.The GaN/Psi film fabricated through PLD exhibited a high and hexagonal crystallographic texture in the(002)plane.Spectroscopic properties results revealed that the photoluminescence emission of the deposited nano-GaN films was in the ultraviolet band(374 nm)related to GaN material and in the near-infrared band(730 nm)related to the Psi substrate.The topographical and morphological results of the GaN films confirmed that the deposited film contained spherical grains with an average diameter of 51.8 nm and surface roughness of 4.8 nm.The GaN/Psi surface showed a cauliflower-like morphology,and the built-in voltage decreased from 3.4 to 2.7 eV after deposition.The fabricated GaN/Psi film exhibited good electrical characteristics.

AFM Observation of GaN Grown on Different Substrates at Low Temperatures

Aim To study the relationship between the substrate temperature and the morphology and properties of GaN. Methods\ Applying the hydride chemical vapor deposition method, GaN films were deposited on different kinds of substrates, including sapphire, Si(111),Si(100),GaAs and GaP(111) both on the P face and the Ga face. The growth was performed at low temperatures of below 700℃. XRD, Hall measurement, cathodoluminescence (CL) and atomic force microscopy (AFM) were used to characterise the film properties. Results\ It was found that the temperature and the nature of substrate materials influence the layer morphology. Conclusion\ The analysis shows that no apparent relationship exists between the optical properties and layer morphology.

Synthesis of GaN Nanorods by Ammoniating Ga2O3/ZnO Films

Large quantities of CaN nanorods are successfully synthesized on Si（111） substrates by ammoniating the films of Ga2O3/ZnO at 950℃ in a quartz tube. The structure, morphology and optical properties of the as-prepared CaN nanorods are studied by x-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and photoluminescence. The results show that the CaN nanorods have a hexagonal wurtzite structure with lengths of several micrometres and diameters from 80 nm to 300hm, which could supply an attractive potential to harmonically incorporate future GaN optoelectronic devices into Si-based large-scale integrated circuits. The growth mechanism is also briefly discussed.

Interfacial stress characterization of GaN epitaxial layer with sapphire substrate by confocal Raman spectroscopy

As an important wide-bandgap semiconductor,gallium nitride(GaN)has attracted considerable attention.This paper describes the use of confocal Raman spectroscopy to characterize undoped GaN,n-type GaN,and p-type GaN through depth profiling using 405-,532-,and 638-nm wavelength lasers.The Raman signal intensity of the sapphire substrate at different focal depths is studied to analyze the depth resolution.Based on the shift of the E2 H mode of the GaN epitaxial layer,the interfacial stress for different types of GaN is characterized and calculated.The results show that the maximum interfacial stress appears approximately at the junction of the GaN and the sapphire substrate.Local interfacial stress analysis between the GaN epitaxial layer and the substrate will be very helpful in furthering the applications of GaN devices.

Improved carrier injection and confinement in InGaN light-emitting diodes containing GaN/AlGaN/GaN triangular barriers

In this study, an InGaN lighting-emitting diode （LED） containing GaN/A1GaN/GaN triangular barriers is proposed and investigated numerically. The simulation results of output performance, carrier concentration, and radiative recombination rate indicate that the proposed LED has a higher output power and an internal quantum efficiency, and a lower efficiency droop than the LED containing conventional GaN or A1GaN barriers. These improvements mainly arise from the modified energy bands, which is evidenced by analyzing the LED energy band diagram and electrostatic field near the active region. The modified energy bands effectively improve carrier injection and confinement, which significantly reduces electron leakage and increases the rate of radiative recombination in the quantum wells.

The First Principles Investigations of the Thermoelectric Properties of GaN with p-and n-Type Doping

We investigate the thermoelectric properties of GaN with p- and n-type doping by the first principles calculation and the semi-classical Boltzmann theory. We find that the power factors （Sacr） of p-type GaN （-3500 μW/mK2） is about twice that of the n-type （-1750 μW/mK2）, which indicates the thermoelectric properties of p-type GaN would be better. Thermal conductivity of GaN crystal decreases rapidly as the temperature increases, but it is still too large for thermoelectric applications. The figure of merit （ZT） estimated at 1500 K is 0.134 for p-type GaN crystal and 0.062 for the n-type.

Electronic Structures of Wurtzite GaN with Ga and N Vacancies

The electronic band structures of wurtzite GaN with Ga and N vacancy defects are investigated by means of the first-principles total energy calculations in the neutral charge state. Our results show that the band structures can be significantly modified by the Ga and N vacancies in the GaN samples. Generally, the width of the valence band is reduced and the band gap is enlarged. The defect-induced bands can be introduced in the band gap of GMV due to the Ga and N vacancies. Moreover, the GaN with high density of N vacancies becomes an indirect gap semiconductor. Three defect bands due to Ga vacancy defects are created within the band gap and near the top of the valence band. In contrast, the N vacancies introduce four defect bands within the band gap. One is in the vicinity of the top of the valence band, and the others are near the bottom of the conduction band. The physical origin of the defect bands and modification of the band structures due to the Ga and N vacancies are analysed in depth.

Photoluminescence study on Eu-implanted GaN

The photoluminescence （PL） properties of Eu-implanted GaN thin films are studied. The experimental results show that the PL intensity is seriously affected by ion implantation conditions. The PL efficiency increases exponentially with annealing temperature increasing up to a maximum temperature of 1050℃. Moreover, the PL intensity for the sample implanted along the channelling direction is nearly twice more than that observed from the sample implanted along the random direction. The thermal quenching of PL intensity from 10K to 300K for sample annealed at 1050℃ is only 42.7%.

Evaluation of stress voltage on off-state time-dependent breakdown for GaN MIS-HEMT with SiNx gate dielectric

Stress voltages on time-dependent breakdown characteristics of GaN MIS-HEMTs during negative gate bias stress (with VGS < 0, VD = VS = 0) and off-state stress (VG < VTh, VDS > 0, VS = 0) are investigated. For negative bias stress, the breakdown time distribution (β) decreases with the increasing negative gate voltage, while β is larger for higher drain voltage at off-state stress. Two humps in the time-dependent gate leakage occurred under both breakdown conditions, which can be ascribed to the dielectric breakdown triggered earlier and followed by the GaN layer breakdown. Combining the electric distribution from simulation and long-term monitoring of electric parameter, the peak electric fields under the gate edges at source and drain sides are confirmed as the main formation locations for per-location paths during negative gate voltage stress and off-state stress, respectively.

Microstructure and strain analysis of GaN epitaxial films using in-plane grazing incidence x-ray diffraction

This paper investigates the major structural parameters, such as crystal quality and strain state of （001）-oriented GaN thin films grown on sapphire substrates by metalorganic chemical vapour deposition, using an in-plane grazing incidence x-ray diffraction technique. The results are analysed and compared with a complementary out-of-plane x- ray diffraction technique. The twist of the GaN mosaic structure is determined through the direct grazing incidence t of （100） reflection which agrees well with the result obtained by extrapolation method. The method for directly determining the in-plane lattice parameters of the GaN layers is also presented. Combined with the biaxial strain model, it derives the lattice parameters corresponding to fully relaxed GaN films. The GaN epilayers show an increasing residual compressive stress with increasing layer thickness when the two dimensional growth stage is established, reaching to a maximum level of-0.89 GPa.

Electric field modulation technique for high-voltage AlGaN/GaN Schottky barrier diodes

A novel structure of AIGaN/GaN Schottky barrier diode （SBD） featuring electric field optimization techniques of anode-connected-field-plate （AFP） and magnesium-doped p-type buried layer under the two-dimensional electron gas （2DEG） channel is proposed. In comparison with conventional A1GaN/GaN SBDs, the magnesium-doped p-type buried layer in the proposed structure can provide holes that can help to deplete the surface 2DEG. As a result, surface field strength around the electrode edges is significantly suppressed and the electric field along the channel is distributed more evenly. Through 2D numerical analysis, the AFP parameters （field plate length, LAFP, and field plate height, TAFP） and p-type buried layer parameters （p-type layer concentration, Np, and p-type layer thickness, Tp） are optimized to achieve a three-equal-peak surface channel field distribution under exact charge balance conditions. A novel structure with a total drift region length of 10.5 μm and a magnesium-doped p-type concentration of 1 × 10^17 cm 3 achieves a high breakdown voltage （VB） of 1.8 kV, showing 5 times improvement compared with the conventional SBD with the same device dimension.

GaN substrate and GaN homo-epitaxy for LEDs:Progress and challenges

After a brief review on the progresses in GaN substrates by ammonothermal method and Na-flux method and hydride vapor phase epitaxy （HVPE） technology, our research results of growing GaN thick layer by a gas fow-rnodulated HVPE, removing the GaN layer through an efficient self-separation process from sapphire substrate, and modifying the uniformity of multiple wafer growth are presented. The effects of surface morphology and defect behaviors on the GaN homo-epitaxial growth on free standing substrate are also discussed, and followed by the advances of LEDs on GaN substrates and prospects of their applications in solid state lighting.