Sublimation behavior of AlN in nitrogen and argon at conditions used for high-temperature annealing

High-temperature annealing (HTA) is one of the most promising techniques to produce high-quality, cost-efficient AlN templates for further epitaxial growth AlGaN devices. Unfortunately, yield this process seems be limited due restricting face-to-face configuration that typically used, in which contaminations template surface can occur easily. A high crucial transfer into industry. Indeed, are annealed open-face suffer from degradation excessive evaporation during course process. To highlight physics approach process, sublimation behavior at temperatures and atmospheres used HTA processes has examined. In study, we use Knudsen effusion mass spectrometry technique confirm previously published results on equilibrium partial pressures species above AlN. Based experimentally determined data experiments, apparent coefficient N2 Ar conditions derived. Despite having a stabilizing effect HTA, still decomposition rates several hundred nanometers per hour explain damage observed if AlN/sapphire an configuration. Finally, based theoretical considerations, strategy reduce suggested.