Effect of rapid thermal annealing on deep level defects in the Si-doped GaN

Rapid thermal annealing effects on deep level defects in the n-type GaN layer grown by metalorganic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) have been characterized using deep level transient spectroscopy (DLTS) technique. The samples were first characterized by current–voltage (I–V) and capacitance–voltage (C–V) measurements. The measurements showed that the barrier height of the as-grown sample to be 0.74 eV (I–V) and 0.95 eV (C–V) respectively. However, the Schottky barrier height of the sample annealed at 800 °C increased to 0.84 eV (I–V) and 0.99 eV (C–V) respectively in nitrogen atmosphere for 1 min. Further, it was observed that the Schottky barrier height slightly decreased after annealing at 900 °C. DLTS results showed that the two deep levels are identified in as-grown sample (E1 and E3), which have activation energies of 0.19 ± 0.01 eV and 0.80 ± 0.01 eV with capture cross-sections 2.06 × 10−17 cm2 and 7.68 × 10−18 cm2, which can be related to point defects. After annealing at 700 °C, the appearance of one new peak (E2) at activation energy of 0.49 ± 0.02 eV with capture-cross section σn = 5.43 × 10−17 cm2, suggest that E2 level is most probably associated with the nitrogen antisites. Thermal annealing at 800 °C caused the E1 and E3 levels to be annealed out, which suggest that they are most probably associated with the point defects. After annealing at 900 °C the same (E1 and E3) deep levels are identified, which were identified in as-grown n-GaN layer.