Comparative Study of GaN Growth on Different Substrates: Implications for High-Temperature Device Performance
Disciplines
Electronic Devices and Semiconductor Manufacturing | Semiconductor and Optical Materials
Abstract (300 words maximum)
This study investigates the suitability of Gallium Nitride (GaN) grown on various substrates, including Sapphire (Al2O3), Silicon (Si), and Zinc Oxide (ZnO), for high-temperature semiconductor device applications. Created via the Metal Organic Chemical Vapor Deposition (MOCVD) growth process, the thermal properties and performance of these samples were analyzed through Raman spectroscopy at temperatures of 100 °C, 200 °C, and 300 °C, employing different laser powers to achieve clear, high-intensity spectra with minimal noise. The results at room temperature revealed the E2 (high) phonon mode peaks for GaN on Sapphire, Si, and ZnO at 568 cm-1, 565 cm-1, and 576 cm-1, respectively, with Full Width at Half Maximum (FWHM) values of 7.70 cm-1, 5.68 cm-1, and 6.03 cm-1, respectively. This indicates that GaN on Si has the best crystallinity at room temperature, evidenced by the narrowest FWHM, while GaN on Sapphire exhibits the least crystallinity. Upon heating from 100°C to 300°C, the E2(high) peak shifted to lower frequencies for all samples, with corresponding FWHM increases, indicating changes in lattice dynamics and crystal quality with temperature. The GaN on Sapphire, Si, and ZnO substrates showed peak shifts of 4.39 cm-1, 4.37 cm-1, and 2.98 cm-1, and FWHM increases of 2.69 cm-1, 3.38 cm-1, and 10.12 cm-1, respectively. These findings suggest that GaN on the Sapphire substrate might offer the most promising future for high-temperature semiconductor devices, such as High Electron Mobility Transistors (HEMTs), Schottky diodes, power ICs, RF amplifiers, and microwave devices, due to its superior crystalline quality at elevated temperatures, enhancing device reliability and efficiency.
Academic department under which the project should be listed
SPCEET - Electrical and Computer Engineering
Primary Investigator (PI) Name
Dr. Benjamin Klein
Additional Faculty
Dr. Ian Ferguson, ifergus3@kennesaw.edu
Comparative Study of GaN Growth on Different Substrates: Implications for High-Temperature Device Performance
This study investigates the suitability of Gallium Nitride (GaN) grown on various substrates, including Sapphire (Al2O3), Silicon (Si), and Zinc Oxide (ZnO), for high-temperature semiconductor device applications. Created via the Metal Organic Chemical Vapor Deposition (MOCVD) growth process, the thermal properties and performance of these samples were analyzed through Raman spectroscopy at temperatures of 100 °C, 200 °C, and 300 °C, employing different laser powers to achieve clear, high-intensity spectra with minimal noise. The results at room temperature revealed the E2 (high) phonon mode peaks for GaN on Sapphire, Si, and ZnO at 568 cm-1, 565 cm-1, and 576 cm-1, respectively, with Full Width at Half Maximum (FWHM) values of 7.70 cm-1, 5.68 cm-1, and 6.03 cm-1, respectively. This indicates that GaN on Si has the best crystallinity at room temperature, evidenced by the narrowest FWHM, while GaN on Sapphire exhibits the least crystallinity. Upon heating from 100°C to 300°C, the E2(high) peak shifted to lower frequencies for all samples, with corresponding FWHM increases, indicating changes in lattice dynamics and crystal quality with temperature. The GaN on Sapphire, Si, and ZnO substrates showed peak shifts of 4.39 cm-1, 4.37 cm-1, and 2.98 cm-1, and FWHM increases of 2.69 cm-1, 3.38 cm-1, and 10.12 cm-1, respectively. These findings suggest that GaN on the Sapphire substrate might offer the most promising future for high-temperature semiconductor devices, such as High Electron Mobility Transistors (HEMTs), Schottky diodes, power ICs, RF amplifiers, and microwave devices, due to its superior crystalline quality at elevated temperatures, enhancing device reliability and efficiency.