Reduction of threading dislocations in migration enhanced epitaxy grown GaN with N-polarity by use of AlN multiple interlayer

High quality GaN layer was obtained by insertion of high temperature grown AlN multiple intermediate layers with migration enhanced epitaxy method by the RF-plasma assisted molecular beam epitaxy on (0001) sapphire substrates. The propagating behaviors of dislocations were studied, using a transmission electron microscope. The results show that the edge dislocations were filtered at the AlN/GaN interfaces. The bending propagation of threading dislocations in GaN above AlN interlayers was confirmed. Thereby, further reduction of dislocations was achieved. Dislocation density being reduced, the drastic increase of electron mobility to 668 cm 2 /Vs was obtained at the carrier density of 9.5 × 10 16 cm 3 in Si doped GaN layer.