MINORITY-CARRIER DIFFUSION LENGTH AND LIFETIME IN GAN

Electron beam induced current measurements on planar Schottky diodes o n undoped GaN grown by metalorganic chemical vapor deposition are repo rted. The minority carrier diffusion length of 0.28 mu m has been meas ured, indicating minority carrier lifetime of 6.5 ns. The tapping mode atomic force microscopy imaging of the surfaces and scanning electron microscopy of the cross sections have been used to characterize the l inear dislocations and columnar structure of the GaN. The possible inf luence of recombination on the extended defects in GaN on the minority carrier diffusion length and lifetime is discussed, and contrasted to other recombination mechanisms. (C) 1998 American Institute of Physic s.