Performance-Limiting Defects in GaN

摘要

The lII-V nitrides and GaN, in particular are emerging new semiconductors for electronic devices, including light -emitting diodes (LED) and laser diodes in the blue-green and LIV wavelenglhs, LIV detectors arid ultrahigh power switches. The main challenges in this technology are optimization of optical output etficienc and stability of metal contacts. One objective of the MSEL project on GaN is to quantify the effect of GaN defects, in particular of threading dislocations, on these properties, hi EY2002 a mechanism for the degradation of electrical contacts through threading dislocation-mediated phase transformations was determined through detailed characterization using transmission electron microscopy Doping methods to disable the mechanism may lead to greatly improved stahillt reliabiIiti and performance of commercial GaN devices.