Low-pressure metal organic chemical vapor deposition of GaN on silicon(111) substrates using an AlAs nucleation layer

We have investigated the growth of GaN on silicon by low-pressure metal org anic chemical vapor deposition. Good quality GaN layers are grown on silico n(111) using an AlAs nucleation layer. AlAs is thermally stable even at 105 0 degrees C and, unlike GaN and AlN buffer layers, the formation of SiNx on the Si surface is prevented. Single crystalline GaN films are obtained by introducing a thin low-temperature GaN buffer layer grown on the AlAs nucle ation layer. The GaN layers are characterized by x-ray diffraction, atomic force microscopy, secondary ion mass spectroscopy, photoluminescence, and c athodoluminescence. (C) 1999 American Institute of Physics. [S0003-6951(99) 04205-9].