PVT growth of AlN single crystals with the diameter from nano- to centi-meter level

Abstract

Physical vapor transport (PVT) is the most successful and widely used approach for bulk aluminum nitride (AlN) single crystals. During the process of PVT growing AlN crystals, crucible materials, the growth setup, and the growth parameters (e.g., temperature distribution, growth pressure) are crucial. This work proposes a detailed study on the PVT growth of single AlN crystals with sizes ranging from nanometers to centimeters. AlN crystals with different sizes are grown by spontaneous nucleation. Furthermore, it discusses and contrasts the growth conditions and mechanisms of AlN crystals with different sizes. The structural and optical properties of the AlN crystals are also involved.