Plasma-assisted electroepitaxy as a novel method for the growth of GaN layers

In the current study we have demonstrated the feasibility of a novel approach for the growth of GaN layers, namely plasma-assisted electroepitaxy (PAEE). In this method, we have combined the advantages of the plasma process for producing high concentrations of active N species in the Ga melt with the advantages of electroepitaxy in transferring the N species from the Ga surface to the growth interface, without spontaneous crystallisation on the surface or within the solution. We have designed and built a new growth chamber which allows us to combine the plasma-assisted molecular beam epitaxy process with a liquid phase electroepitaxy system. We have demonstrated that it is possible to grow GaN layers by PAEE at growth temperatures as low as ∼650 ^oC and with low nitrogen overpressures of ∼3×10^-5 Torr. (© 2012 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)