Buffer free direct growth of GaN on 6H-SiC by metalorganic vapor phase epitaxy

The growth of GaN on 6H-SiC is three dimensional (3D) and results in the formation of large islands presenting hexagonal truncated shape with {1-101} lateral facets and a top {0001} facet. In this work, we present a three steps growth process that enables us to grow high quality mirrorlike GaN layers without using AlN buffer layers. During a first step, a thin 3D GaN layer is deposited at high temperature. This layer is smoothed under ammonia flow for several minutes when the growth is interrupted. The subsequent growth of GaN is two dimensional. 600 nm thick GaN films were grown. They were analyzed by high resolution x-ray diffraction, reflectivity, and photoluminescence. All the layers are under strong tensile biaxial strain. The correlation between residual tensile strain in GaN layers and their optical properties is reported for biaxial deformations epsilon(xx) ranging up to 0.37%. (C) 2000 American Institute of Physics. [S0021- 8979(00)07801-4].