Epitaxial growth of InN by plasma-assisted metalorganic chemical vapor deposition

InN epitaxial films were grown on (0001) sapphire substrates by plasma-assisted metalorganic chemical vapor deposition, by which large amounts of radicals can be supplied to a surface with less ion damages; using triethylindium and nitrogen radicals as the precursors. When argon was used as a carrier gas, InN having a rough surface with a lot of indium droplets was grown. When hydrogen was used, the InN surface was specular and few droplets were found. InN was grown in hydrogen at a low temperature of 400 degrees C where no growth occurred in argon. These results suggest that the carrier gas influences the InN growth and that hydrogen enhances both the decomposition of organometallics and the removal of excess metal atoms at the growing surface.