Low temperature metalorganic chemical vapor deposition of gallium nitride using dimethylhydrazine as nitrogen source

Gallium nitride (GaN) films have been homoepitaxially grown by low pressure metalorganic chemical vapor deposition technique using dimethylhydrazine (DMHy) and trimethylgallium (TMG) as the reactants at low temperatures ranging from 873 to 923 K and a constant pressure of 10 Torr. The potential of utilizing DMHy as a nitrogen source is evaluated through understanding the kinetics of GaN film growth. A growth rate dependency study with respect to DMHy and TMG concentrations indicates that Langmuir-Hinshelwood typed reaction dominates the film growth. From a model fitting to the experimental film growth rate, the adsorption equilibrium constant of DMHy is found to be approximately 1/20 that of TMG, indicating that V/III feed ratio can be reduced down to 20 to obtain a stoichiometric GaN film. Based on X-ray photoelectron spectroscope measurement, the films formed by DMHy, however, accompany significant carbon contamination due to the strong C-N bonding in DMHy. The contamination can be relieved effectively by introducing H, into the reaction. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science B.V All lights reserved.