Growth of III-Nitrides on Si(111) and GaN Templates:Challenges and Prospects

摘要

The growth and fabrication of optoelectronic devices based on III-nitrides (GaN,AIN, and InN) has been a very active field during the last decade.' Theannouncement in 1997 by Nakamura et al. of continuous-wave blue laser emissionat room temperature with a lifetime above 10,000 hours2 clearly demonstrated allthe capabilities of these materials. Most of this device-quality material has beenobtained by metalorganic growth techniques (MOCVD) using sapphire or 6H-SiCsubstrates. However, the growth of very high quality material on sapphire relieson sophisticated processes, like the epitaxial lateral overgrowth (ELO),3 whereasthe use of SiC substrates is still hampered by their high price. Recently, there is anincreasing interest in the growth of III-nitrides on other alternative andinexpensive substrates, like Si(111)," which also offers the possibility ofintegration, as well as on thin SiC layers synthesized on top of Si(111) wafers.7·8This last choice will add the benefits of bulk SiC at a much lower price.