Characterization of GaN using thermally stimulated current and photocurrent spectroscopies and its application to UV detectors

Deep levels in insulating GaN grown by metalorganic vapor phase epitaxy (MOVPE) have been studied using thermally stimulated current (TSC) and photocurrent (PC) spectroscopies. Five main levels (0.11, 0.24, 0.36, 0.53 and 0.62 eV) were observed by TSC measurements in the as-grown undoped GaN. PC measurements showed three deep levels located within bandgap at 1.32, 1.70 and 2.36 eV, respectively. We found that three of the levels, located at 0.24, 0.36 and 0.53 eV, were eliminated by annealing at 1000°C under N2 for six hours, whereas the 0.62 eV level density increased after annealing. In addition, both the responsivity and on/off times of GaN metal-semiconductor-metal (MSM) detectors degrade with increasing concentration of the 0.62 eV trap. We have also found that this trap can be effectively reduced by increasing the ammonia flow rate during the MOVPE growth. Accordingly, a high responsivity (∼ 3200 A/W) UV detector with an improved response time, from 8 to 0.4 ms, was fabricated on GaN grown under the optimized conditions.