Defect states of a-plane GaN grown on r-plane sapphire by controlled integration of silica nano-spheres

An undoped a-plane GaN epi-layer was grown on r-plane sapphire substrate with silica nano-spheres by metal organic chemical vapor deposition. Defect states in the GaN epi-layer with Pt Schottky diode and Ti/Au Ohmic contact were characterized by using a deep level transient spectroscopy (DLTS) measurement. According to the results of DLTS spectra for a-plane GaN epi-layer with silica nano-spheres, the defect state with activation energy of 0.56 eV and capture cross section of 9.72×10–16 cm−2 originated in non-interacting point defect appeared dominantly. A dislocation related defect also appeared with small intensity. It shows that the silica nano-sphere layer integrated in the valley of the buffer layers on the r-plane sapphire substrate can improve the electrical property by the reduction of defect states in the GaN epi-layer.

► a-plane GaN was grown on sapphire substrate with silica nano-spheres by MOCVD.
► Defect states of a-plane GaN were characterized by DLTS measurement.
► Dominant signal with the activation energy of 0.56 eV was observed.
► Defect states in the GaN epi-layer were reduced by the silica nano-spheres.