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  1. Ferdinand-Braun-Institut
  2. Research
  3. III-V Technology
  4. Materials Technology
  5. Group III-Nitride Epitaxy

Group III-Nitride Epitaxy

We apply metalorganic vapor phase epitaxy (MOVPE) to grow layer structures based on the III-nitrides (Al,Ga,In)N. These structures are used in optoelectronic devices for the wavelength range from 200 nm to 500 nm and in high power transistors. In the focus of our development are blue-violet laser diodes, UV-B and UV-C LEDs, solarblind photodiodes, and transistors which are designed for high currents, high breakdown voltages and high frequencies. To further optimize these devices, we are also developing substrates and templates with low dislocation densities which allow epitaxial growth of AlGaN layers with high aluminum concentration and reduced strain.

An employee in protective clothing is working on a scientific machine. There are several round objects in the machine, which are carefully placed.
Showerhead reactor for high growth temperatures
Schematic representation of a semiconductor component with labels for the “source”, “gate” and “drain” areas. The focus is on the “gate”, which is highlighted.
SEM cross-section image of the gate contact from a transistor structure
A circular object with a transparent edge shows a colored beam of light that runs diagonally. The light beam shows a spectrum in the colors red, green and blue, which is created by the refraction of the light.
GaN HVPE boule
A circular arrangement of several transparent bowls surrounding an empty, round surface in the center. The bowls are arranged in two rows.
Multi-wafer reactor of the typ AIX 2600G3
Two fine tweezers grip a small, luminous chip on a microchip layer. The structure of the layer shows a pattern of rectangular fields.
Electroluminescence from an UV LED
A spherical device with several chambers that is used to process materials. The central disk has several recesses for samples.
Hochtemperatur-Wachstumsanlage vom Typ AIX2600G3-HT

Nitride-based epitaxial growth at FBH is done in five different MOVPE reactors. We use an AIX200/4-RF-S MOVPE system with a capacity of 1×2" to deposit optoelectronic epitaxial structures on GaN substrate, primarily blue-violet laser diodes. An AIX2600G3-HT (11×2") multi-slice system allows growth temperatures of up to 1400 °C to produce high quality AlN layers, for example on sapphire substrate, which are used as templates for UV LEDs. With a high-temperature furnace, the crystal quality can be further improved by heating up to 1700 °C. Another AIX2600G3-HT reactor forms the basis for the GaN HFET activities at FBH on 4" substrate. We use a Close Coupled Showerhead Reactor (6x2") for the fabrication of layer structures for UV LEDs. A second reactor of this type is used for AlN-based heterostructure field effect transistors (HFET) within the funding program of "Research Fab Microelectronics Germany" as well as for vertical MISFET structures. All MOVPE systems are equipped with in-situ sensor technology (curvature sensor EpiCurveTT from LayTec).

For our customers we realize semiconductor layers with defined optical and electrical properties:

Custom epitaxial layers