Metalorganic chemical vapor deposition of N-polar GaN films on vicinal SiC substrates using indium surfactants

The effect of indium surfactants on the growth of N-polar GaN films on vicinal C-face SiC substrates by metalorganic chemical vapor deposition was investigated. Triangular hillocks formed on the surface of N-polar GaN without indium, resulting in a rough surface. When indium surfactants were introduced during GaN growth, the surface roughness was reduced from 18.1 to 3.5 nm over a 20 x 20 mu m(2) area. The photoluminescence characteristics of N-polar GaN film were also improved because of a reduction of carbon caused by the presence of indium, demonstrating that indium is a useful surfactant in the growth of N-polar GaN. (C) 2012 American Institute of Physics. [doi: 10.1063/1.3676275]