Accurate determination of polarization fields in (0 0 0 1) c-plane InAlN/GaN heterostructures with capacitance-voltage-measurements

Abstract

In this paper the internal electric fields of nearly lattice matched InAlN/GaN heterostructures were determined. Pin-diodes containing InAlN/GaN heterostructures grown on sapphire substrates by metalorganic vapour phase epitaxy were fabricated by standard lithography and metallization techniques. To determine the polarization fields in the InAlN quantum wells capacitance-voltage-measurements were performed on the pin-diodes. To reduce the measurement error, the heterostructure thicknesses were accurately determined by transmission electron microscopy. Large polarization fields, which correspond mainly to the spontaneous polarizations, for In0.15Al0.85N ( MV cm-1), In0.18Al0.82N ( MV cm-1) and In0.21Al0.79N ( MV cm-1) quantum wells were observed. The results of the internal field strength and field direction are in excellent agreement with values predicted by theory and a CVM-based coupled Poisson/carrier transport simulation approach.