Controlling the orientations of directional sputtered non- and semi-polar GaN/AlN layers

We have studied the impact on the surface orientation of different sputtered Al layers followed by AlN layers sputtered on m-plane sapphire. These initial layers were then overgrown by AlN and followed by GaN using metal-organic vapor phase epitaxy (MOVPE). By increasing sputtering time of the initial Al layer from 0 s to 15 s, we obtained single phase (10-10), (10-13) and (10-14) GaN/AlN layers. The thickness of the initial Al layer was estimated by optical transmission measurements to be about 0.5-1 nm for the (10-13) orientation, and >1 nm for the (10-14) orientation. After MOVPE growth, no trace of metallic Al was found by transmission electron microscopy, indicating that this layer was fully converted to AlN. (C) 2019 The Japan Society of Applied Physics