Indium-surfactant-assisted growth of high-mobility AlN/GaN multilayer structures by metalorganic chemical vapor deposition

AlN/GaN single and multilayer structures with various AlN and GaN layer thicknesses were grown by metalorganic chemical vapor deposition. Step flow growth of AlN was achieved using trimethylindium as a surfactant. Defect formation in the AlN layer could be largely prevented for AlN layers thinner than 2.9 nm. In the multiquantum-well samples, which consisted of five (AlN/GaN) periods, a two-dimensional electron gas (2DEG) was formed at the interface between the GaN base layer and the first AlN barrier layer. When the thickness of the AlN barrier layer in the multiquantum well was increased from 0.9 to 2.6 nm at a constant GaN well thickness of 5 nm, the sheet carrier density of the 2 DEG increased from 5x10(12) to 2.1x10(13) cm(-2) and the electron mobility measured at 77 K decreased from 11780 to 3140 cm(2)/V s. The effect of the GaN well thickness was also investigated. (C) 2001 American Institute of Physics.