GAN THIN-FILM FABRICATION BY REACTION OF LASER EVAPORATED GA AND GAASIN NH3 ATMOSPHERE

The III group element nitrides (AlN, GaN, InN) have been prepared by l aser ablation of the metals and simultaneous exposure to NH3. This stu dy reports the growth of polycrystalline thin films of GaN on Si(100) by Nd:YAG (lambda = 532 nm) laser evaporation of bare Ga and GaAs in a NH3 atmosphere. The key problems are the gas phase solvation mechanis m leading to Ga(NH3)(n) cluster formation and to direct nitridation of the target to yield GaN. Time of Right mass spectrometry has been use d to monitor ablation plume components. The films were analyzed by con ventional techniques, such as X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electr on microscopy (SEM) and IR spectroscopy. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V .