Hydrogen effect on near-atmospheric nitrogen plasma assisted chemical vapor deposition of GaN film growth

The effect of hydrogen on near-atmospheric nitrogen plasma and low temperature growth of GaN thin film was investigated. To investigate nitrogen plasma diluted with hydrogen, optical emission spectroscopy (OES) was employed. OES indicates that hydrogen enhances the generation of the nitrogen first positive system and first negative systems by providing an additional kinetic pathway. The plasma also decomposed triethylgallium and generated Ga ions even at room temperature. Using this plasma, GaN film grew on sapphire substrate epitaxially at growth temperatures of above 170 °C and crystallized at 55 °C.