New perspective on nano-porous gallium nitride formation on p-type silicon with plasma focus device

ABSTRACT

For the first time, the formation of nano-porous (NP) gallium nitride (GaN) on p-type silicon (Si) (100) substrate with the plasma focus device was observed. Four and six main plasma focus shots with GaN as the target on the Si substrate were applied. Subsequently, two shots of nitrogen plasma without the GaN target were applied to both of the Si surfaces. Then the substrates were gone through a 1050°C nitrogen treatment by a thermal chemical vapor deposition (TCVD) device. Field emission scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy indicated NP structures on the surface of the substrates. With the increase in the amount of shots, thicker and rougher NP structures were formed. Additionally, X-ray diffraction shows GaN polycrystalline formation on the surface with the energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, indicating that there was nitrogen deficiency on the Si substrates.

KEYWORDS:

• GaN
• nano-porous
• PFD
• semiconductors
• TCVD

Acknowledgments

The author acknowledges the fusion laboratory of Amirkabir University of Technology for allowing using their PFD, and Malihe Omrani for her help with XRD data processing.