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Jiang K, Ben J, Sun X, Shi Z, Wang X, Fang T, Zhang S, Lv S, Chen Y, Jia Y, Zang H, Liu M, Li D. The AlN lattice-polarity inversion in a high-temperature-annealed c-oriented AlN/sapphire originated from the diffusion of Al and O atoms from sapphire. NANOSCALE ADVANCES 2024; 6:418-427. [PMID: 38235089 PMCID: PMC10791122 DOI: 10.1039/d3na00780d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2023] [Accepted: 11/16/2023] [Indexed: 01/19/2024]
Abstract
AlN films are widely used owing to their superior characteristics, including an ultra-wide bandgap, high breakdown field, and radiation resistance. High-temperature annealing (HTA) makes it easy to obtain high-quality AlN films, with the advantages of a simple process, good repeatability, and low cost. However, it is always found that there is a lattice-polarity inversion from a N-polarity near the sapphire to an Al-polarity in the HTA c-oriented AlN/sapphire. Currently, the formation mechanism is still unclear, which hinders its further wide applications. Therefore, the formation mechanism of the polarity inversion and its impacts on the quality and stress profile of the upper AlN in the HTA c-oriented AlN/sapphire were investigated. The results imply that the inversion originated from the diffusion of the Al and O atoms from the sapphire. Due to the presence of abundant Al vacancies (VAl) in the upper AlN, Al atoms in the sapphire diffuse into the upper AlN during the annealing to fill the VAl, resulting in the O-terminated sapphire, leading to the N-polar AlN. Meanwhile, O atoms in the sapphire also diffuse into the upper AlN during the annealing, forming an AlxOyNz layer and causing the inversion from N- to Al-polarity. The inversion has insignificant impacts on the quality and stress distribution of the upper AlN. Besides, this study predicts the presence of a two-dimensional electron gas at the inversion interface. However, the measured electron concentration is much lower than that predicted, which may be due to the defect compensation, low polarization level, and strong impurity scattering.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ke Jiang
- State Key Laboratory of Luminescence and Applications, Changchun Institute of Optics, Fine Mechanics and Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences Changchun 130033 P. R. China
- Center of Materials Science and Optoelectronics Engineering, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing 100049 P. R. China
| | - Jianwei Ben
- State Key Laboratory of Luminescence and Applications, Changchun Institute of Optics, Fine Mechanics and Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences Changchun 130033 P. R. China
- Center of Materials Science and Optoelectronics Engineering, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing 100049 P. R. China
| | - Xiaojuan Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Luminescence and Applications, Changchun Institute of Optics, Fine Mechanics and Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences Changchun 130033 P. R. China
- Center of Materials Science and Optoelectronics Engineering, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing 100049 P. R. China
| | - Zhiming Shi
- State Key Laboratory of Luminescence and Applications, Changchun Institute of Optics, Fine Mechanics and Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences Changchun 130033 P. R. China
- Center of Materials Science and Optoelectronics Engineering, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing 100049 P. R. China
| | - Xianjun Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Luminescence and Applications, Changchun Institute of Optics, Fine Mechanics and Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences Changchun 130033 P. R. China
- Center of Materials Science and Optoelectronics Engineering, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing 100049 P. R. China
| | - Tong Fang
- State Key Laboratory of Luminescence and Applications, Changchun Institute of Optics, Fine Mechanics and Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences Changchun 130033 P. R. China
- Center of Materials Science and Optoelectronics Engineering, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing 100049 P. R. China
| | - Shanli Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Luminescence and Applications, Changchun Institute of Optics, Fine Mechanics and Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences Changchun 130033 P. R. China
- Center of Materials Science and Optoelectronics Engineering, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing 100049 P. R. China
| | - Shunpeng Lv
- State Key Laboratory of Luminescence and Applications, Changchun Institute of Optics, Fine Mechanics and Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences Changchun 130033 P. R. China
- Center of Materials Science and Optoelectronics Engineering, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing 100049 P. R. China
| | - Yang Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Luminescence and Applications, Changchun Institute of Optics, Fine Mechanics and Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences Changchun 130033 P. R. China
- Center of Materials Science and Optoelectronics Engineering, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing 100049 P. R. China
| | - Yuping Jia
- State Key Laboratory of Luminescence and Applications, Changchun Institute of Optics, Fine Mechanics and Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences Changchun 130033 P. R. China
- Center of Materials Science and Optoelectronics Engineering, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing 100049 P. R. China
| | - Hang Zang
- State Key Laboratory of Luminescence and Applications, Changchun Institute of Optics, Fine Mechanics and Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences Changchun 130033 P. R. China
- Center of Materials Science and Optoelectronics Engineering, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing 100049 P. R. China
| | - Mingrui Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Luminescence and Applications, Changchun Institute of Optics, Fine Mechanics and Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences Changchun 130033 P. R. China
- Center of Materials Science and Optoelectronics Engineering, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing 100049 P. R. China
| | - Dabing Li
- State Key Laboratory of Luminescence and Applications, Changchun Institute of Optics, Fine Mechanics and Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences Changchun 130033 P. R. China
- Center of Materials Science and Optoelectronics Engineering, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing 100049 P. R. China
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Bersch BC, Caminal Ros T, Tollefsen V, Johannessen EA, Johannessen A. Improved Crystallinity of Annealed 0002 AlN Films on Sapphire Substrate. MATERIALS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2023; 16:ma16062319. [PMID: 36984198 PMCID: PMC10056503 DOI: 10.3390/ma16062319] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2023] [Revised: 03/07/2023] [Accepted: 03/08/2023] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
AlN is a piezoelectric material used in telecommunication applications due to its high surface acoustic wave (SAW) velocity, stability, and mechanical strength. Its performance is linked to film quality, and one method to achieve high-quality films goes through the process of annealing. Consequently, c-orientated AlN film with a thickness of 1.1 μm deposited on sapphire was annealed at temperatures of 1100 °C and 1150 °C in a N2 controlled atmosphere. This was compared to annealing at 1100 °C, 1450 °C, and 1700 °C with N2 flow in an open atmosphere environment. Sample rotation studies revealed a significant impact on the ⍵-2θ X-ray rocking curve. A slight variation in the film crystallinity across the wafer was observed. After the annealing, it was found that the lattice parameter c was increased by up to 2%, whereas the screw dislocation density dropped from 3.31 × 1010 to 0.478 × 1010 cm-2, and the full width at half maximum (FWHM) of reflection (0002) was reduced from 1.16° to 0.41° at 1450 °C. It was shown that annealing in a N2-controlled atmosphere plays a major role in reducing the oxidation of the AlN film, which is important for acoustic wave devices where the electrodes are placed directly on the piezoelectric substrate. The face-to-face arrangement of the samples could further reduce this oxidation effect.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bruno Comis Bersch
- Campus Lajeado, University of Taquari Valley, Lajeado 95914014, Brazil
- Campus Vestfold, University of South-Eastern Norway, Borre 3184, Norway
| | - Tomàs Caminal Ros
- Campus Vestfold, University of South-Eastern Norway, Borre 3184, Norway
- Barcelona East School of Engineering, Polytechnic University of Catalonia, 08019 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Vegard Tollefsen
- Campus Vestfold, University of South-Eastern Norway, Borre 3184, Norway
| | | | - Agne Johannessen
- Campus Vestfold, University of South-Eastern Norway, Borre 3184, Norway
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Recent Advances in Fabricating Wurtzite AlN Film on (0001)-Plane Sapphire Substrate. CRYSTALS 2021. [DOI: 10.3390/cryst12010038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Ultrawide bandgap (UWBG) semiconductor materials, with bandgaps far wider than the 3.4 eV of GaN, have attracted great attention recently. As a typical representative, wurtzite aluminum nitride (AlN) material has many advantages including high electron mobility, high breakdown voltage, high piezoelectric coefficient, high thermal conductivity, high hardness, high corrosion resistance, high chemical and thermal stability, high bulk acoustic wave velocity, prominent second-order optical nonlinearity, as well as excellent UV transparency. Therefore, it has wide application prospects in next-generation power electronic devices, energy-harvesting devices, acoustic devices, optical frequency comb, light-emitting diodes, photodetectors, and laser diodes. Due to the lack of low-cost, large-size, and high-ultraviolet-transparency native AlN substrate, however, heteroepitaxial AlN film grown on sapphire substrate is usually adopted to fabricate various devices. To realize high-performance AlN-based devices, we must first know how to obtain high-crystalline-quality and controllable AlN/sapphire templates. This review systematically summarizes the recent advances in fabricating wurtzite AlN film on (0001)-plane sapphire substrate. First, we discuss the control principles of AlN polarity, which greatly affects the surface morphology and crystalline quality of AlN, as well as the electronic and optoelectronic properties of AlN-based devices. Then, we introduce how to control threading dislocations and strain. The physical thoughts of some inspirational growth techniques are discussed in detail, and the threading dislocation density (TDD) values of AlN/sapphire grown by various growth techniques are compiled. We also introduce how to achieve high thermal conductivities in AlN films, which are comparable with those in bulk AlN. Finally, we summarize the future challenge of AlN films acting as templates and semiconductors. Due to the fast development of growth techniques and equipment, as well as the superior material properties, AlN will have wider industrial applications in the future.
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Kim DH, Schweitz MA, Koo SM. Effect of Gas Annealing on the Electrical Properties of Ni/AlN/SiC. MICROMACHINES 2021; 12:mi12030283. [PMID: 33800338 PMCID: PMC7998277 DOI: 10.3390/mi12030283] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2021] [Revised: 03/03/2021] [Accepted: 03/05/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
It is shown in this work that annealing of Schottky barrier diodes (SBDs) in the form of Ni/AlN/SiC heterojunction devices in an atmosphere of nitrogen and oxygen leads to a significant improvement in the electrical properties of the structures. Compared to the non-annealed device, the on/off ratio of the annealed SBD devices increased by approximately 100 times. The ideality factor, derived from the current-voltage (IV) characterization, decreased by a factor of ~5.1 after annealing, whereas the barrier height increased from ~0.52 to 0.71 eV. The bonding structure of the AlN layer was characterized by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Examination of the N 1 s and O 1 s peaks provided direct indication of the most prevalent chemical bonding states of the elements.
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Abd Rahman MN, Yusuf Y, Anuar A, Mahat MR, Chanlek N, Talik NA, Abdul Khudus MIM, Zainal N, Abd Majid WH, Shuhaimi A. Agglomeration enhancement of AlN surface diffusion fluxes on a (0 0 0 1)-sapphire substrate grown by pulsed atomic-layer epitaxy techniques via MOCVD. CrystEngComm 2020; 22:3309-3321. [DOI: 10.1039/d0ce00113a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/01/2023]
Abstract
An atomically flat covering with a dense and crack-free surface of aluminium nitride films was successfully deposited on a sapphire-(0 0 0 1) substrate through a pulsed atomic-layer epitaxy technique via horizontal metalorganic chemical vapour deposition.
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Lang J, Xu FJ, Ge WK, Liu BY, Zhang N, Sun YH, Wang JM, Wang MX, Xie N, Fang XZ, Kang XN, Qin ZX, Yang XL, Wang XQ, Shen B. Greatly enhanced performance of AlGaN-based deep ultraviolet light emitting diodes by introducing a polarization modulated electron blocking layer. OPTICS EXPRESS 2019; 27:A1458-A1466. [PMID: 31684498 DOI: 10.1364/oe.27.0a1458] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2019] [Accepted: 08/03/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Carrier transport in AlGaN-based deep ultraviolet (DUV) light emitting diodes (LEDs) with the wavelength of 273 nm has been investigated by introducing polarization modulated electron blocking layer (EBL) that adopts an Al composition and thickness graded multiple quantum barriers (MQB) structure. The experimental result shows that the maximum light output power and external quantum efficiency for the proposed structure at the current of 250 mA are 9.6 mW and 1.03% respectively, severally increasing by 405% and 249% compared to traditional one, meanwhile, the efficiency droop at 250 mA is also dramatically reduced from 42.2% to 16.6%. Further simulation analysis indicates that this graded MQB-EBL enhances the potential barrier height for electrons and meanwhile reduces that for holes, hence effectively suppresses the electron leakage, and at the same time significantly improves the hole injection efficiency. As a result, the whole performance of the LED with the proposed MQB-EBL is dramatically improved.
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Wang MX, Xu FJ, Wang JM, Xie N, Sun YH, Liu BY, Lang J, Zhang N, Ge WK, Kang XN, Qin ZX, Yang XL, Wang XQ, Shen B. The sapphire substrate pretreatment effects on high-temperature annealed AlN templates in deep ultraviolet light emitting diodes. CrystEngComm 2019. [DOI: 10.1039/c9ce00702d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
Evolution of crystalline quality of AlN via high-temperature (HT) annealing induced by different sapphire pretreatments is investigated.
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