Fabrication of large flat gallium nitride templates with extremely low dislocation densities in the 106 cm-2 range by novel two-side hydride vapor-phase epitaxial growth

Large GaN templates with high flatness (i.e., negligible wafer bowing and smooth as-grown surfaces) and low threading dislocation densities (TTDs) were fabricated by a novel two-side hydride vapor-phase epitaxial (HVPE) growth, beginning with deposition of polycrystalline GaN on the rear side of the wafer. Appropriate gas-flow management realized by our homemade HVPE system permitted the growth of a GaN layer with a smooth as-grown surface and excellent thickness uniformity on the front surfaces of 4- or 6-inch patterned sapphire substrates (PSSs). However, when the grown thickness exceeded 20 µm, single-side HVPE-growth induced fractures in GaN crystals. The fracture resistance of the GaN increased markedly when it was in a cleavage-resistant polycrystalline form (poly-GaN), permitting its growth to a thickness of 100 µm. In the presence of a back-side poly-GaN layer, extremely thick GaN crystal layers could be grown on the front side without fractures. An 80-µm-thick GaN template fabricated by two-side growth on a 4-inch PSS had a device-quality surface, negligible bowing, and low TDD (7 × 106 cm-2). Issues of high fabrication costs, unavailability of large-size wafers, and large off-angle variations associated with native GaN wafers could be overcome by using our high-quality GaN templates as alternative substrates.