Selective Area Heteroepitaxy of p-i-n Junction GaP Nanopillar Arrays on Si (111) by MOCVD

Gallium phosphide (GaP) is an important optical material due to its visible wavelength band gap and high refractive index. However, the bandgap of the thermodynamically stable zinc blende GaP is indirect, but wurtzite (WZ) structure GaP is direct bandgap. In this work, we demonstrate high-quality and dense GaP vertical nanopillar (NP) array directly on Si (111) substrates through selective area epitaxy (SAE) by MOCVD for the first time, through systemic studies of the effect of TMGa flow rate, growth temperature, and V/III ratio. Uniform GaP NPs are grown over a patterned 400 mu m x 400 mu m area with 97.5% yield. Arrays of GaP vertical p-i-n NP diodes are demonstrated with a ideality factor and rectification ratio of 3.7 and 103, respectively. With the high yield of hexagonal structure and electrically proven device quality of GaP NPs through this growth method, this work represents a significant step in achieving GaP NP based optoelectronic devices, such as micro-LEDs emitting in the green wavelength range.

Automated summary

In this study, high-quality and dense GaP vertical nanopillar arrays were directly grown on Si (111) substrates for the first time through selective area epitaxy (SAE) using MOCVD. The effect of TMGa flow rate, growth temperature, and V/III ratio on the growth process was systematically studied. The findings showed uniform growth of GaP NPs over a patterned area with a high yield. GaP vertical p-i-n NP diodes were successfully fabricated and exhibited excellent ideality factor and rectification ratio, demonstrating the potential for GaP NP-based optoelectronic devices.