Point Defect-Induced UV-C Absorption in Aluminum Nitride Epitaxial Layers Grown on Sapphire Substrates by Metal-Organic Chemical Vapor Deposition

authored by: Nadine Tillner, Christian Frankerl, Felix Nippert, Matthew J. Davies, Christian Brandl, Rainer Lösing, Martin Mandl, Hans Jürgen Lugauer, Roland Zeisel, Axel Hoffmann, Andreas Waag, Marc Patrick Hoffmann
Abstract: Herein, the optical properties of aluminum nitride (AlN) epitaxial layers grown on sapphire substrates by metal-organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) are reported. The structures investigated in this study are grown at highly different degrees of supersaturation in the MOCVD process. In addition, both pulsed and continuous growth conditions are employed and AlN is deposited on nucleation layers favoring different polarities. The samples are investigated by photoluminescence (PL), photoluminescence excitation (PLE), and absorption spectroscopy and are found to vary significantly in absorption and emission characteristics. Two distinct absorption bands in the UV-C spectral range are observed and examined in greater detail, with either giving rise to a significant absorption coefficient of around 1000 cm⁻¹. The corresponding defect transitions are identified by PL spectroscopy. Combined with secondary-ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) measurements, these absorption bands are allocated to the incorporation of carbon and oxygen impurities, depending on the applied growth conditions. Furthermore, similarities with other epitaxial growth techniques serving as basis for UV-C applications are highlighted. These results are highly relevant for a better understanding of absorption issues in AlN templates grown by various deposition techniques. In addition, consequences for the growth of efficient UV-C devices by MOCVD on sapphire substrates are outlined.
External Organisation(s): OSRAM Licht AG
Technische Universität Braunschweig
Technische Universität Berlin
Type: Article
Journal: Physica Status Solidi (B) Basic Research
Volume: 257
ISSN: 0370-1972
Publication date: 12.2020
Publication status: Published
Peer reviewed: Yes
ASJC Scopus subject areas: Electronic, Optical and Magnetic Materials, Condensed Matter Physics
Electronic version(s): https://doi.org/10.1002/pssb.202000278 (Access: Open)

BibTeX

@article{1b9baac3a94240e4b585e66660ebb2ea,
title = "Point Defect-Induced UV-C Absorption in Aluminum Nitride Epitaxial Layers Grown on Sapphire Substrates by Metal-Organic Chemical Vapor Deposition",
abstract = "Herein, the optical properties of aluminum nitride (AlN) epitaxial layers grown on sapphire substrates by metal-organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) are reported. The structures investigated in this study are grown at highly different degrees of supersaturation in the MOCVD process. In addition, both pulsed and continuous growth conditions are employed and AlN is deposited on nucleation layers favoring different polarities. The samples are investigated by photoluminescence (PL), photoluminescence excitation (PLE), and absorption spectroscopy and are found to vary significantly in absorption and emission characteristics. Two distinct absorption bands in the UV-C spectral range are observed and examined in greater detail, with either giving rise to a significant absorption coefficient of around 1000 cm−1. The corresponding defect transitions are identified by PL spectroscopy. Combined with secondary-ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) measurements, these absorption bands are allocated to the incorporation of carbon and oxygen impurities, depending on the applied growth conditions. Furthermore, similarities with other epitaxial growth techniques serving as basis for UV-C applications are highlighted. These results are highly relevant for a better understanding of absorption issues in AlN templates grown by various deposition techniques. In addition, consequences for the growth of efficient UV-C devices by MOCVD on sapphire substrates are outlined.",
keywords = "absorption, AlN, epitaxy, metal-organic chemical vapor deposition, point defects",
author = "Nadine Tillner and Christian Frankerl and Felix Nippert and Davies, {Matthew J.} and Christian Brandl and Rainer L{\"o}sing and Martin Mandl and Lugauer, {Hans J{\"u}rgen} and Roland Zeisel and Axel Hoffmann and Andreas Waag and Hoffmann, {Marc Patrick}",
note = "Funding information: N.T. and C.F. contributed equally to this work. A part of this work was funded by the German Federal Ministry of Economic Affairs (Bundesministerium f{\"u}r Wirtschaft und Energie) in the frame of the “Important Project of Common European Interest (IPCEI) on Microelectronics” (16IPCEI623). Furthermore, this work was supported by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) within the “Advanced UV for Life” project (03ZZ0134A), by the German Science Foundation (DFG) within the Collaborative Research Center 787 (CRC787) as well as under Germany's Excellence Strategy labeled EXC?2123 QuantumFrontiers 390837967.",
year = "2020",
month = dec,
doi = "10.1002/pssb.202000278",
language = "English",
volume = "257",
journal = "Physica Status Solidi (B) Basic Research",
issn = "0370-1972",
publisher = "Wiley-VCH Verlag",
number = "12",
}