Understanding the Growth Mechanism of GaN Epitaxial Layers on Mechanically Exfoliated Graphite
Abstract The growth mechanism of GaN epitaxial layers on mechanically exfoliated graphite is explained in detail based on classic nucleation theory. The number of defects on the graphite surface can be increased via O-plasma treatment, leading to increased nucleation density on the graphite surface....
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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SpringerOpen
2018-04-01
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| Series: | Nanoscale Research Letters |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s11671-018-2546-x |
| _version_ | 1797714051672834048 |
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| author | Tianbao Li Chenyang Liu Zhe Zhang Bin Yu Hailiang Dong Wei Jia Zhigang Jia Chunyan Yu Lin Gan Bingshe Xu Haiwei Jiang |
| author_facet | Tianbao Li Chenyang Liu Zhe Zhang Bin Yu Hailiang Dong Wei Jia Zhigang Jia Chunyan Yu Lin Gan Bingshe Xu Haiwei Jiang |
| author_sort | Tianbao Li |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract The growth mechanism of GaN epitaxial layers on mechanically exfoliated graphite is explained in detail based on classic nucleation theory. The number of defects on the graphite surface can be increased via O-plasma treatment, leading to increased nucleation density on the graphite surface. The addition of elemental Al can effectively improve the nucleation rate, which can promote the formation of dense nucleation layers and the lateral growth of GaN epitaxial layers. The surface morphologies of the nucleation layers, annealed layers and epitaxial layers were characterized by field-emission scanning electron microscopy, where the evolution of the surface morphology coincided with a 3D-to-2D growth mechanism. High-resolution transmission electron microscopy was used to characterize the microstructure of GaN. Fast Fourier transform diffraction patterns showed that cubic phase (zinc-blend structure) GaN grains were obtained using conventional GaN nucleation layers, while the hexagonal phase (wurtzite structure) GaN films were formed using AlGaN nucleation layers. Our work opens new avenues for using highly oriented pyrolytic graphite as a substrate to fabricate transferable optoelectronic devices. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-12T07:47:16Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-d9d489013e70440a8598e95df51a1711 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1931-7573 1556-276X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-12T07:47:16Z |
| publishDate | 2018-04-01 |
| publisher | SpringerOpen |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Nanoscale Research Letters |
| spelling | doaj.art-d9d489013e70440a8598e95df51a17112023-09-02T20:57:47ZengSpringerOpenNanoscale Research Letters1931-75731556-276X2018-04-011311710.1186/s11671-018-2546-xUnderstanding the Growth Mechanism of GaN Epitaxial Layers on Mechanically Exfoliated GraphiteTianbao Li0Chenyang Liu1Zhe Zhang2Bin Yu3Hailiang Dong4Wei Jia5Zhigang Jia6Chunyan Yu7Lin Gan8Bingshe Xu9Haiwei Jiang10Key Laboratory of Interface Science and Engineering in Advanced Materials, Taiyuan University of Technology, Ministry of EducationCollege of Materials Science and Engineering, Taiyuan University of TechnologyCollege of Materials Science and Engineering, Taiyuan University of TechnologyCollege of Materials Science and Engineering, Taiyuan University of TechnologyCollege of Materials Science and Engineering, Taiyuan University of TechnologyKey Laboratory of Interface Science and Engineering in Advanced Materials, Taiyuan University of Technology, Ministry of EducationKey Laboratory of Interface Science and Engineering in Advanced Materials, Taiyuan University of Technology, Ministry of EducationKey Laboratory of Interface Science and Engineering in Advanced Materials, Taiyuan University of Technology, Ministry of EducationSchool of Materials Science and Engineering, Huazhong University of Science and TechnologyKey Laboratory of Interface Science and Engineering in Advanced Materials, Taiyuan University of Technology, Ministry of EducationCollege of Materials Science and Engineering, Taiyuan University of TechnologyAbstract The growth mechanism of GaN epitaxial layers on mechanically exfoliated graphite is explained in detail based on classic nucleation theory. The number of defects on the graphite surface can be increased via O-plasma treatment, leading to increased nucleation density on the graphite surface. The addition of elemental Al can effectively improve the nucleation rate, which can promote the formation of dense nucleation layers and the lateral growth of GaN epitaxial layers. The surface morphologies of the nucleation layers, annealed layers and epitaxial layers were characterized by field-emission scanning electron microscopy, where the evolution of the surface morphology coincided with a 3D-to-2D growth mechanism. High-resolution transmission electron microscopy was used to characterize the microstructure of GaN. Fast Fourier transform diffraction patterns showed that cubic phase (zinc-blend structure) GaN grains were obtained using conventional GaN nucleation layers, while the hexagonal phase (wurtzite structure) GaN films were formed using AlGaN nucleation layers. Our work opens new avenues for using highly oriented pyrolytic graphite as a substrate to fabricate transferable optoelectronic devices.http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s11671-018-2546-xMechanical exfoliation graphiteGaNGrowth mechanismHighly oriented pyrolytic graphite (HOPG) |
| spellingShingle | Tianbao Li Chenyang Liu Zhe Zhang Bin Yu Hailiang Dong Wei Jia Zhigang Jia Chunyan Yu Lin Gan Bingshe Xu Haiwei Jiang Understanding the Growth Mechanism of GaN Epitaxial Layers on Mechanically Exfoliated Graphite Nanoscale Research Letters Mechanical exfoliation graphite GaN Growth mechanism Highly oriented pyrolytic graphite (HOPG) |
| title | Understanding the Growth Mechanism of GaN Epitaxial Layers on Mechanically Exfoliated Graphite |
| title_full | Understanding the Growth Mechanism of GaN Epitaxial Layers on Mechanically Exfoliated Graphite |
| title_fullStr | Understanding the Growth Mechanism of GaN Epitaxial Layers on Mechanically Exfoliated Graphite |
| title_full_unstemmed | Understanding the Growth Mechanism of GaN Epitaxial Layers on Mechanically Exfoliated Graphite |
| title_short | Understanding the Growth Mechanism of GaN Epitaxial Layers on Mechanically Exfoliated Graphite |
| title_sort | understanding the growth mechanism of gan epitaxial layers on mechanically exfoliated graphite |
| topic | Mechanical exfoliation graphite GaN Growth mechanism Highly oriented pyrolytic graphite (HOPG) |
| url | http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s11671-018-2546-x |
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