Analyses of surface temperatures on patterned sapphire substrate for the growth of GaN with metal organic chemical vapor deposition

► Surface temperature of PSS for GaN growth by MOCVD is studied by FEM simulations. ► The relation of surface temperature of PSS and the forced convection conditions is discussed. ► The effects of PSS topographies and scales on surface temperature are presented. The surface temperature of cone-shaped patterned sapphire substrate (PSS) in GaN epitaxial growth by MOCVD and its relation to forced convection conditions and substrate surface topography were systematically investigated. Calculations using finite element method (FEM) exhibited that increase of substrate thickness would reduce surface temperature variation on PSS in typical growth condition. A hydrodynamics model under different chamber conditions is established, suggesting that carrier gas's velocity V∞ plays a significant role on surface temperature of PSS in comparison with planar substrate. Also, carrier gas's pressure Pcarrier is found to be another important factor on surface thermal distribution. Results of temperatures of surface with different pattern topographies suggested that an ideal PSS structure can confine the in-cell temperature discrepancy on surface into less than 0.4K. Pattern scales of PSS and their influence on surface temperature variation were also discussed.