Efficient P-Type Ion-Implantation Doping of III-Nitrides for Optomizing Device Performance

本研究的目的是获得平面、选择性区域掺杂、高导电性的p型氮化镓（GaN）和氮化镓铝（AlGaN）层，用于开发高效的光学、高功率和高频器件。所提出的方法涉及将镁（Mg）和铍（Be）离子注入的GaN和AlGaN外延层，由脉冲激光沉积的氮化铝或氧化镁盖层保护，进行超快速高温微波退火处理。智力优势：本工作主要有两个组成部分：(1)利用超快速、高温（=1300℃）微波退火技术解决了GaN和AlGaN中植入受体（Mg和Be）的活化问题；(2)找到GaN和AlGaN中受体掺杂剂活化不良的缺陷。缺陷在受体杂质活化行为中的作用的理论研究也将基于第一性原理计算进行。生长和植入受体掺杂层和p-n结二极管的实验结果将与理论结果相关联，以更好地理解限制GaN和AlGaN中植入受体激活的各种因素。更广泛的影响：这项工作的成功结果可能会导致氮基器件性能的急剧改善，其市场份额随着时间的推移而增长。这项提议的工作是一项涉及乔治梅森大学、海军研究实验室和国家标准与技术研究所的合作研究。一名女博士生，一名高中科学教师，以及一名本科生和高中生将参与该项目。这项工作的结果将包括在一个专题研究生课程。

The objective of this research is obtaining planar, selective area doped, highly conductive p-type gallium nitride (GaN) and aluminum gallium nitride (AlGaN) layers for developing efficient optical, high-power, and high-frequency devices. The proposed approach involves subjecting magnesium (Mg) and beryllium (Be) ion-implantation doped GaN and AlGaN epitaxial layers, protected by pulse laser deposited aluminum nitride or magnesium oxide capping layers, to ultra-fast high-temperature microwave annealing treatment. Intellectual Merit: This work has two main components: (1) solving the implanted acceptor (Mg and Be) activation problem in GaN and AlGaN using ultra-fast, high-temperature (=1300 C) microwave annealing, and (2) finding the defects responsible for poor acceptor dopant activation in GaN and AlGaN. A theoretical study of the role of defects in acceptor impurity activation behavior also will be performed based on first-principles calculations. Experimental results on as-grown and implanted acceptor doped layers and p-n junction diodes will be correlated with theoretical results to gain a better understanding of the various factors that limit implanted acceptor activation in GaN and AlGaN.Broader Impact: Successful results of this work may lead to a drastic improvement in the performance of nitride based devices, whose market share is growing with time. The proposed work is a collaborative research involving George Mason University, Naval Research Laboratory, and National Institute of Standards and Technology. A female Ph.D. student, a high school science teacher, and undergraduate and high school students will be involved on the project. Results of this work will be included in a special topics graduate course.