Dislocation density investigation on MOCVD-grown GaN epitaxial layers using wet and dry defect selective etching

Abstract

Results on the investigations of the dislocation etch pits in the GaN layers grown on sapphire substrate by metal organic chemical vapor deposition are revealed by wet chemical etching, and dry etching techniques are reported. The wet etching was carried out in molten KOH, and inductively coupled plasma (ICP) was used for dry etching. We show that ICP using dry etching and wet chemical etching using KOH solution under optimal conditions give values of dislocation density comparable to the one obtained from the high-resolution X-ray diffraction, atomic force microscopy and transmission electron microscopy investigations. Investigated threading dislocation density is in the order of ~109/cm2 using different techniques.