Behaviors of Absolute Densities of N, H, and NH3 at Remote Region of High-Density Radical Source Employing N-2-H-2 Mixture Plasmas

For an innovation of molecular-beam-epitaxial (MBE) growth of gallium nitride (GaN), the measurements of absolute densities of N, H, and NH3 at the remote region of the radical source excited by plasmas have become absolutely imperative. By vacuum ultraviolet absorption spectroscopy (VUVAS) at a relatively low pressure of about 1 Pa, we obtained a N atom density of 9 x 10(12) cm(-3) for a pure nitrogen gas used, a H atom density of 7 x 10(12) cm(-3) for a gas composition of 80% hydrogen mixed with nitrogen gas were measured. The maximum density 2 x 10(13) cm(-3) of NH3 was measured by quadruple mass spectrometry (QMS) at H-2/(N-2 + H-2) = 60%. Moreover, we found that N atom density was considerably affected by processing history, where the characteristic instability was observed during the pure nitrogen plasma discharge sequentially after the hydrogen-containing plasma discharge. These results indicate imply the importance of establishing radical-based processes to control precisely the absolute densities of N, H, and NH3 at the remote region of the radical source. (C) 2011 The Japan Society of Applied Physics