Epitaxial growth and characterization of zinc-blende gallium nitride on (001) silicon

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Abstract
GaN films have been epitaxially grown onto (001) Si by electron cyclotron resonance microwave‐plasma‐assisted molecular‐beam epitaxy, using a two‐step growth process, in which a GaN buffer is grown at relatively low temperatures and the rest of the film is grown at higher temperatures. This method of film growth was shown to lead to good single‐crystalline β‐GaN and to promote lateral growth resulting in smooth surface morphology. The full width at half‐maximum of the x‐ray rocking curve in the best case was found to be 60 min. Optical‐absorption measurements indicate that the band gap of β‐GaN is 3.2 eV and the index of the refraction below the absorption edge is 2.5. Conductivity measurements indicate that the films may have a carrier concentration below 1017 cm−3.