Micro-Raman scattering in laterally epitaxial overgrown GaN

Abstract

In this study, micro-Raman spectroscopy has been used to investigate the vibrational properties of laterally epitaxial overgrown (LEO) GaN. The LEO GaN films were grown by metal organic chemical vapor deposition on a 2 in. sapphire substrate with SiN mask. Photoluminescence and polarized Raman scattering measurements have been performed in the two regions of GaN growth (wing and window regions). Raman scattering results are consistent with the lateral growth of GaN in the overgrown region. We have observed second-order Raman scattering in the wing and window regions of GaN. The observations of longitudinal optical phonon plasmon modes in the overgrown region demonstrate that LEO GaN is doped. We have carried out micro-Raman mapping of the local strain and free carrier concentration in the LEO GaN. Anharmonicity due to temperature in LEO GaN has also been investigated. The anharmonicity was found to increase with increasing temperature, and such temperature-induced anharmonicity introduces changes in the linewidth and line center position of the Raman active phonons. The phonon lifetimes in GaN are estimated in the LEO region as well as in the coherently grown region (window region).