Reactively Sputtered Sb-GaN Films and its Hetero-Junction Diode: The Exploration of the n-to-p Transition

Abstract

Sb anion-substituted gallium nitride films were fabricated by radio frequency reactive sputtering with single Sb-containing cermet targets with different Sb contents under Ar/N2 atmosphere. n-type GaN films with electron concentration of (1.40 ± 0.1) × 1017 cm−3 inverted to p-type Sb-GaN with hole concentration of (5.50 ± 0.3) × 1017 cm−3. The bandgap energy of Sb anion-added Sb-GaN films decreased from 3.20 to 2.72 eV with increasing Sb concentration. The formation of p-type Sb-GaN is attributed to the formation of Ga vacancy at higher Sb concentration. The coexistence of Sb at the Ga cation site and N anion site is an interesting and important result, as GaNSb had been well developed for highly mismatched alloys. The hetero-junction with p-type Sb-GaN/n-Si diodes was all formed by radio frequency (RF) reactive sputtering technology. The electrical characteristics of Sb-GaN diode devices were investigated from −20 to 20 V at room temperature (RT).