Improved Substrates For GaN and AlN Films

GALLIUM NITRIDE AND ALUMINUM NITRIDE FILMS ARE CURRENTLY GROWN ON SUBSTRATES WITH SUBSTANTIALLY DIFFERENT CRYSTAL STRUCTURES AND ATOMIC SPACING. FILMS GROWN ON SUCH SUBSTRATES HAVE POOR CRYSTALLOGRAPHIC PROPERTIES WHICH RESULT IN DEGRADATION OF ELECTRICAL PROPERTIES AND DEVICE PERFORMANCE. IMPROVED SUBSTRATE MATERIALS ARE REQUIRED WHICH WILL PERMIT THE GROWTH OF PERFECT FILMS OF GaN AND AlN. THE FULL POTENTIAL FOR UV LASERS, BLUE LEDS, DETECTORS AND HIGH FREQUENCY DEVICES WILL BE MORE READILY MET WITH THESE IMPROVED FILMS. AS IN THE CASE OF SILICON AND GALLIUM ARSENIDE, THE AVAILABILITY OF IMPROVED SUBSTRATES IS EXPECTED TO RESULT IN A SIGNIFICANT ADVANCE IN THE PERFORMANCE OF ALL THESE DEVICES. THE PROPOSED PROGRAM IS EXPECTED TO LEAD TO A MANUFACTURING PROCESS FOR BOTH IMPROVED SUBSTRATES, AND TO HIGH QUALITY GaN AND AlN FILMS FOR DEVICE FABRICATION.