High-quality, low-cost GaN single crystal substrates for high-power devices

The proposed project is to demonstrate a novel technique for producing GaN single-crystal boules that yield GaN wafers and substrates suitable for fabrication of GaN high-power devices. The two key attributes of the proposed novel GaN growth technique (a bulk crystal growth technique) are: a high growth rate and an ability to achieve a superior crystal quality. The novel GaN crystal growth technique can achieve a growth rate significantly higher than that can be achieved using any existing GaN crystal growth technique, including a state-of-the-art hydride vapor phase expitaxy (HVPE) technique. As a result, GaN single crystal boules and wafers will be produced at a low cost and at a high throughput. The novel GaN growth technique, by design, has the capability to reduce dislocation densities to less than 10E4 cm-2 in GaN crystal boules, which enables fabrication of high-performance GaN high-power devices. In addition, the novel growth technique is scalable to produce GaN single crystal boules and wafers of large diameters. Fairfield Crystal team will grow GaN single crystal boules and then fabricate GaN wafers. Stony Brook University Team will conduct crystal defect characterization using variety of tools, including Synchrotron X-ray Topography.