Effect of Growth Conditions on Crystal Quality of InGaN Epitaxial Layers Grown by RF-MBE

In-rich InGaN epilayers were grown on (0001) sapphire substrates by radio-frequency plasma-assisted molecular beam epitaxy (RF-MBE). InGaN epilayers grown at various growth condition were observed by SEM, XRD, and RHEED. When plasma power of nitrogen increased from 290 to 350 W, surface morphology and crystal quality became worse according to more active nitrogen on the surface of InGaN at N-rich growth condition. As In composition was reduced from 89 to 71% by changing the incoming flux of In and Ga, surface morphology and crystal quality became worse. In addition, weak peaks of cubic InGaN phase was observed from InGaN layer with 71% In composition by XRD ${\Phi}$ scan measurement. When growth temperature decreased from 500 to $400^{\circ}C$, RHEED diffraction pattern was changed to be from streaky to spotty which means atomically rough surface, and spotty pattern showed cubic symmetry of InGaN clearly. XRD ${\Phi}$ scan measurement gave clear evidence that more cubic InGaN phase was formed at low growth temperature. All these results indicates that extremely low surface mobility of Ga adatom caused inferior crystal quality and cubic InGaN phase.

RF-MBE 성장조건에 따른 InGaN 단결정 박막의 결정성 관찰