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Effects of Silicon Doping and Threading Dislocation Density on Stress Evolution in AlGaN Films

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  08 February 2012

Joan M. Redwing ,
Ian C. Manning ,
Xiaojun Weng ,
Sarah M. Eichfeld ,
Jeremy D. Acord ,
Mark A. Fanton  and
David W. Snyder
Joan M. Redwing
Affiliation:
Department of Materials Science and Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802 USA Materials Research Institute, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802 USA
Ian C. Manning
Affiliation:
Department of Materials Science and Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802 USA
Xiaojun Weng
Affiliation:
Materials Research Institute, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802 USA
Sarah M. Eichfeld
Affiliation:
Electro-Optics Center, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802 USA
Jeremy D. Acord
Affiliation:
Electro-Optics Center, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802 USA
Mark A. Fanton
Affiliation:
Electro-Optics Center, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802 USA
David W. Snyder
Affiliation:
Electro-Optics Center, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802 USA
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Abstract

In-situ wafer curvature measurements were used to study the effect of Si doping on intrinsic growth stress during the metalorganic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) growth of AlxGa1-xN (x=0-0.62) layers on SiC substrates. Post-growth transmission electron microscopy (TEM) characterization was used to correlate measured changes in stress with changes in film microstructure. Si doping was found to result in the inclination of edge-type threading dislocations (TDs) in AlxGa1-xN which resulted in a relaxation of compressive stress and generation of tensile stress. The experimentally measured stress gradient was similar to that predicted by an effective climb model. Dislocation inclination resulted in a reduction in the TD density for Si-doped layers compared to undoped AlxGa1-xN likely due to increased opportunities for dislocation interaction and annihilation. The TD density, which increased with increasing Al-fraction, was found to significantly alter the stress gradients in the films. Film stress was also observed to play a role in TD inclination. In undoped AlxGa1-xN, TD inclination was observed only when the film grew under a compressive stress while in Si-doped AlxGa1-xN, TD inclination was observed independent of the sign or magnitude of the film stress. Si dopants are believed to alter the concentration of surface vacancies which gives rise to dislocation jog via a surface-mediated climb mechanism.

Keywords

metalorganic depositionIII-Vstress/strain relationship
Type
Research Article
Information
MRS Online Proceedings Library (OPL) , Volume 1396: Symposium O – Compound Semiconductors for Generating, Emitting and Manipulating Energy , 2012 , mrsf11-1396-o06-02
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2012

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