On the behavior of silicon donor in conductive AlxGa1–xN (0.63 ≤ x ≤ 1)

Abstract

AlxGa1−xN (0.63≤x≤1) layers grown by hot‐wall metal‐organic chemical vapor deposition were intentionally doped with silicon at the atomic concentration of [Si] ∼ 2 × 1018 cm−3. Efficient silicon incorporation into the AlxGa1−xN layers was obtained for all Al contents, x, whereas the resistivity drastically increases for x > 0.84. Degradation of the structural quality and compensation by residual oxygen and carbon impurity were ruled out as possible explanations for the increased resistivity. Frequency dependent capacitance‐voltage measurements indicate that the Si donor is electrically active. Complementary electron paramagnetic resonance measurements suggest formation of stable Si‐related DX centers and increase in the activation energy of the silicon donor for x > 0.84.