Numerical analysis on the origin of thickness unevenness and formation of pits at GaN thin film grown by HVPE

In this study, we propose a 3D model for analyzing the fluid flow, mass fractions of reacting gases, GaN deposition thickness distribution and V/III ratio distribution at the GaN deposition surface in the multi-susceptor HVPE equipment. The GaN thin film is grown in the multi-susceptor HVPE equipment at 1213 K and 1 bar. The deposition thickness distribution from the calculation has been compared with the experimental results. Moreover, the standard deviations of deposition thickness of the films achieved from calculations and experiments have been compared. Besides, in the calculation results, we found that the V/III ratio at the GaN deposition surface increased from the center to the periphery and from low susceptor to high susceptor. Our calculation results have also been verified by 3D measuring laser microscope observation of the surface morphology of the GaN thin film. In according with the calculation results, the density of the pits also decreases from the center to the periphery as well as from low susceptor to high susceptor, demonstrating that the pit density at the surface of the GaN thin films could be reduced when the V/III ratio is increased.