A low-cost and convenient route of fabricating GaN films with P-type mixed microcrystalline and amorphous structure deposited via Ga target of magnetron sputtering
Xueqing Chen,
Nan Li,
Zerong Xing,
Jiasheng Zu,
Xianwei Meng,
Zhuquan Zhou,
Qian Li,
Lifeng Tian,
Yuntao Cui,
Jing Liu
Affiliations
Xueqing Chen
Key Lab of Cryogenic Science and Technology, Technical Institute of Physics and Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, People’s Republic of China
Nan Li
Key Lab of Cryogenic Science and Technology, Technical Institute of Physics and Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, People’s Republic of China
Zerong Xing
Key Lab of Cryogenic Science and Technology, Technical Institute of Physics and Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, People’s Republic of China
Jiasheng Zu
Key Lab of Cryogenic Science and Technology, Technical Institute of Physics and Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, People’s Republic of China
Xianwei Meng
Key Lab of Cryogenic Science and Technology, Technical Institute of Physics and Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, People’s Republic of China
Zhuquan Zhou
Key Lab of Cryogenic Science and Technology, Technical Institute of Physics and Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, People’s Republic of China
Qian Li
Key Lab of Cryogenic Science and Technology, Technical Institute of Physics and Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, People’s Republic of China
Lifeng Tian
Key Laboratory of Photochemical Conversion and Optoelectronic Materials, Technical Institute of Physics and Chemistry Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, People’s Republic of China
Yuntao Cui
Key Lab of Cryogenic Science and Technology, Technical Institute of Physics and Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, People’s Republic of China
Jing Liu
Key Lab of Cryogenic Science and Technology, Technical Institute of Physics and Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, People’s Republic of China
GaN, a third-generation semiconductor, has gained widespread attention owing to its high temperature resistance, wide bandgap, and high critical breakdown electric fields. Magnetron sputtering has a broad potential in the field of low-cost growth of GaN on account of high efficiency, superior quality, and convenient operation. However, challenges caused from the pure Ga targets with a huge refrigeration system need to be resolved for wide practices. Here, a new and cost-effective Ga target for magnetron sputtering was fabricated by utilizing the wetting properties of CuGa2 and Ga. Mixed microcrystalline and amorphous GaN films were obtained via reactive magnetron sputtering employing the Ga target. The average deposition rate is about 1.68 nm/min, and the average roughness is ∼7.45 ± 0.26 nm under 100 W of sputtering power. In addition, the sputtered GaN films were found to be wide-bandgap and p-type semiconductors with high transmittance, as revealed by x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and absorption spectra. The GaN films display a bandgap of ∼3.60 eV and a transmittance exceeding 88.5% in the visible range. Furthermore, field-effect transistors and metal–semiconductor–metal photodetectors have been fabricated using the obtained GaN films, demonstrating favorable response characteristics. The prospects of microcrystalline/amorphous GaN films in sensing, power devices, and flexible electronics were forecasted. Overall, a low-cost and pervasive route of target fabrication process expands the possibilities of using low melting point metals in magnetron sputtering.
