Thermal stability of metal organic vapor phase epitaxy grown AlInN

Abstract

AlInN layers with a thickness of $100\mathrm{nm}$ were grown by metal organic vapor phase epitaxy on GaN buffer layers on Si(111) substrates. By varying the growth temperature, In and $\mathrm{N}{\mathrm{H}}_3$ flows, and reactor pressure, three series with different In contents were produced and thermally treated in the temperature range from $30\text{to}960°\mathrm{C}$ . The as grown and annealed layers were investigated by x-ray diffraction in standard and grazing incidence geometry. Nearly lattice matched samples with an indium concentration of 17%–18% show long time stability at annealing temperatures as high as $960°\mathrm{C}$ . At higher temperatures, the onset of severe Ga–Si meltback etching prevents further measurements. Nonlattice matched samples consist of pseudomorphic and relaxed parts. In the latter, a redistribution and loss of indium is observed upon annealing.