Nanocrystalline GaN and GaN:H Films Grown by RF-Magnetron Sputtering

The structural and optical properties of nanocrystalline GaN and GaN:H films grown by RF-magnetron sputtering are focused here. The films were grown using a Ga target and a variety of deposition parameters (N2/H2/Arflow rates, RF power, and substrate temperatures). Si (100) and fused silica substrates were used at relatively low temperatures (Ts ≤ 420K). The main effects resulting from the deposition parameters variations on the films properties were related to the presence of hydrogen in the plasma. The X-ray diffraction analysis indicates that the grain sizes (∼15nm) and the crystallized volume fraction significantly decrease when hydrogen is present in the plasma. The optical absorption experiments indicate that the hydrogenated films have absorption edges very similar to that of GaN single crystal films reported in the literature, while the non-hydrogenated samples present larger absorption tails encroaching into the gap energies.