High-quality AlGaN layers over pulsed atomic-layer epitaxially grown AlN templates for deep ultraviolet light-emitting diodes

In this paper, we report the pulsed atomic-layer epitaxy (PALE) of ultrahigh-quality AlN epilayers over basal-plane sapphire substrates and their use as templates to grow high-quality AlGaN layers with Al content ranging from 0.3 to 1. Symmetric/asymmetric x-ray diffraction (XRD) and room-temperature (RT) photoluminescence (PL) measurements were used to establish the high-structural and optical quality. The XRD (002) and (114) rocking-curve full-width at half-maximum (FWHM) values of the PALE-grown AlN epilayers were less than 60 arcsec and 250 arcsec, respectively. Using these ultrahigh-quality layers as templates, Si-doped AlGaN layers with a large Al content from 30% to 100% were grown and used for milliwatt power sub-280-nm, deepultraviolet (UV) light-emitting diodes (LEDs).

[1]  James S. Speck,et al.  Role of threading dislocation structure on the x‐ray diffraction peak widths in epitaxial GaN films , 1996 .

[2]  M. Shur,et al.  Near-band-edge photoluminescence of wurtzite-type AlN , 2002 .

[3]  M. Shur,et al.  Pulsed atomic layer epitaxy of quaternary AlInGaN layers , 2001 .

[4]  Hong Wang,et al.  Crack-free thick AlGaN grown on sapphire using AlN/AlGaN superlattices for strain management , 2002 .

[5]  S. Figge,et al.  Mosaicity of GaN Epitaxial Layers: Simulation and Experiment , 2001 .

[6]  V. Adivarahan,et al.  Sub-Milliwatt Power III-N Light Emitting Diodes at 285 nm , 2002 .

[7]  G. Simin,et al.  Submilliwatt Operation of AlInGaN Based Multifinger-Design 315 nm Light Emitting Diode (LED) over Sapphire Substrate , 2002 .

[8]  Grigory Simin,et al.  Milliwatt power deep ultraviolet light-emitting diodes over sapphire with emission at 278 nm , 2002 .

[9]  H. Amano,et al.  Control of Dislocations and Stress in AlGaN on Sapphire Using a Low Temperature Interlayer , 1999 .

[10]  Michael S. Shur,et al.  AlGaN single-quantum-well light-emitting diodes with emission at 285 nm , 2002 .

[11]  Grigory Simin,et al.  Deep ultraviolet light-emitting diodes using quaternary AlInGaN multiple quantum wells , 2002 .

[12]  M. Asif Khan,et al.  AlN/AlGaN superlattices as dislocation filter for low-threading-dislocation thick AlGaN layers on sapphire , 2002 .

[13]  Grigory Simin,et al.  324 nm Light Emitting Diodes With MilliWatt Powers : Semiconductors , 2002 .

[14]  G. Simin,et al.  Stripe Geometry Ultraviolet Light Emitting Diodes at 305 Nanometers Using Quaternary AlInGaN Multiple Quantum Wells , 2001 .

[15]  Hong Wang,et al.  Pulsed atomic-layer epitaxy of ultrahigh-quality AlxGa1−xN structures for deep ultraviolet emissions below 230 nm , 2002 .

[16]  Oliver Ambacher,et al.  Defect structure of epitaxial GaN films determined by transmission electron microscopy and triple-axis X-ray diffractometry , 1998 .

[17]  Naoki Kobayashi,et al.  Efficient and high-power AlGaN-based ultraviolet light-emitting diode grown on bulk GaN , 2001 .

[18]  S. Nakamura,et al.  Introduction to Nitride Semiconductor Blue Lasers and Light Emitting Diodes , 2000 .

[19]  S. Kamiyama,et al.  Low-temperature-deposited AlGaN interlayer for improvement of AlGaN/GaN heterostructure , 2001 .

[20]  Motoaki Iwaya,et al.  High‐Efficiency GaN/AlxGa1—xN Multi‐Quantum‐Well Light Emitter Grown on Low‐Dislocation Density AlxGa1—xN , 2001 .