The effect of RF sputtering conditions on the physical characteristics of deposited GeGaN thin film

Abstract

Ge0.07GaN films were successfully made on Si (100), SiO2/Si (100) substrates by a radio frequency reactive sputtering technique at various deposition conditions listed as a range of 100- 400 °C and 90-150 W with a single ceramic target containing 7 at % dopant Ge. The results showed that different RF sputtering power and heating temperature conditions affected the structural, electrical and optical properties of the sputtered Ge0.07GaN films. The as-deposited Ge0.07GaN films had an structural polycrystalline. The GeGaN films had a distorted structure under different growth conditions. The deposited-150 W Ge0.07GaN film exhibited the lowest photoenergy of 2.96 eV, the highest electron concentration of 5.50 × 1019 cm-3, a carrier conductivity of 35.2 S·cm-1 and mobility of 4 cm2·V-1·s-1.