Metal Organic Vapor Phase Epitaxy of Thick N-Polar InGaN Films

Hillock-free thick InGaN layers were grown on N-polar GaN on sapphire by metal organic vapor phase epitaxy using a digital growth scheme and H-2 as surfactant. Introducing Mg to act as an additional surfactant and optimizing the H-2 pulse time, In compositions up to 17% were obtained in 100 nm thick epilayers. Although Mg adversely affected the In incorporation, it enabled maintenance of a good surface morphology while decreasing the InGaN growth temperature, resulting in a net increase in In composition. The parameter space of growth temperature and Mg precursor flow to obtain hillock-free epilayers was mapped out.

Automated summary

Hillock-free thick InGaN layers were successfully grown on N-polar GaN on sapphire by introducing Mg as an additional surfactant and optimizing the H-2 pulse time. Despite adversely affecting In incorporation, Mg enabled the maintenance of good surface morphology while decreasing growth temperature, resulting in a net increase in In composition. The parameter space of growth temperature and Mg precursor flow for obtaining hillock-free epilayers was mapped out.