Near defect free GaN substrates

Abstract

The current status of GaN crystallization under high nitrogen pressure will be presented. Both conductive and semi-insulating GaN crystals will be characterized. In particular the influence of Mg on the growth mechanisms will be discussed. The influence of Mg doping on morphology of Mg-doped crystals grown under pressure and Mg-doped homoepitaxial layers will be shown. It will be also shown that the addition of about 1 at.% of Mg into the solution improves significantly the structural quality of crystals reducing dislocation density at least by 3 orders of magnitude comparing to the crystals grown without an intentional doping. As it was estimated by selective wet etching and transmission electron microscopy the dislocation densities in the Mg-doped GaN is as low as 10 cm-1. The introduction of Mg also lowers the optical absorption coefficients for energies below fundamental edge by 2 to 3 orders of magnitude what is explained by disappearance of defect related states in the gap. The procedures for preparation of atomically flat epi-ready (000 1) surfaces without subsurface damage will be described. It will be shown that high quality homoepitaxial layers growing by monoatomic steps are possible on these substrates.