Some effects of oxygen impurities on AlN and GaN

• Published in: Journal of crystal growth 2002-12, Vol.246 (3), p.287-298
• Main Authors: Slack, Glen A., Schowalter, Leo J., Morelli, Donald, Freitas, Jaime A.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: A1. Characterization; A1. Defects; A1. Impurities; A2. Growth from vapor; B2. Semiconducting aluminium compounds; B2. Semiconducting gallium compounds; Condensed matter: electronic structure, electrical, magnetic, and optical properties; Condensed matter: structure, mechanical and thermal properties; Defects and impurities in crystals; microstructure; Exact sciences and technology; Heat capacities of solids; Impurities: concentration, distribution, and gradients; Impurity concentration, distribution, and gradients; Optical properties and condensed-matter spectroscopy and other interactions of matter with particles and radiation; Other luminescence and radiative recombination; Physics; Structure of solids and liquids; crystallography; Thermal properties of condensed matter; Thermal properties of crystalline solids
• ISSN: 0022-0248; 1873-5002
• DOI: 10.1016/S0022-0248(02)01753-0

Oxygen is a common substitutional impurity in both AlN and GaN crystals. In the wurtzite 2H phase it can be present in AlN up to concentrations of 1×10 21/cm 3 while in GaN it can reach concentrations of 3×10 22/cm 3. These high concentrations of oxygen affect the luminescence, the optical absorption, the thermal conductivity, and the crystal perfection. The effects are somewhat similar in AlN and GaN. Representative experimental data will be presented to demonstrate the similarities, and to show how the oxygen content may be estimated from these property measurements.