AlGaN photonics: recent advances in materials and ultraviolet devices

Dabing Li; Ke Jiang; Xiaojuan Sun; Chunlei Guo

doi:10.1364/AOP.10.000043

Advances in Optics and Photonics
Vol. 10,
Issue 1,
pp. 43-110
(2018)
•https://doi.org/10.1364/AOP.10.000043

AlGaN photonics: recent advances in materials and ultraviolet devices

Dabing Li, Ke Jiang, Xiaojuan Sun, and Chunlei Guo

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Dabing Li, Ke Jiang, Xiaojuan Sun, and Chunlei Guo, "AlGaN photonics: recent advances in materials and ultraviolet devices," Adv. Opt. Photon. 10, 43-110 (2018)

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About this Article
History
- Original Manuscript: June 5, 2017
- Revised Manuscript: November 12, 2017
- Manuscript Accepted: November 14, 2017
- Published: January 17, 2018

Abstract

AlGaN-based materials own direct transition energy bands and wide bandgap and thus can be used in high-efficiency ultraviolet (UV) emitters and detectors. Over the past two decades, AlGaN-based materials and devices experienced rapid development. Deep ultraviolet AlGaN-based light-emitting diodes (LEDs) with improved efficiency of 20.3% (at 275 nm) have been produced. An electron beam (EB)-pumped AlGaN-based UV light source at 238 nm, output power of 100 mW, and power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 40% has also been fabricated. UV stimulated emission from AlGaN multiple-quantum-wells laser diodes (LDs) using electrical pumping at room temperature has also been achieved at a wavelength of 336 nm. Compared with GaN-based blue and green LEDs and LDs, the efficiency of AlGaN-based UV LEDs and LDs is lower. Further optimization and improvements in both structure and fabrication are required to realize high-performance devices. In AlGaN-based UV photodetectors (PDs), gain as high as $10^{4}$ orders of magnitude has been reported using the separated absorption and multiplication region avalanche photodiode structure but is still far from detecting the weak signal, and thus UV single-photon detectors with high detectivity is challenging. Recently, there has been extensive work in the nonlinear optical properties of AlGaN and AlGaN-based passive devices, such as waveguides and resonators. However, how to minimize the scattering and defect-related absorption needs to be further studied. In this review, first, approaches used to grow an AlGaN epilayer and p-type doping are introduced. Second, progress in AlGaN-based UV LEDs, EB-pumped light sources, LDs, PDs, passive devices, and the nonlinear optical properties are presented. Finally, an overview of potential future trends in AlGaN-based materials and UV devices is given.

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Physical Constants	Units	GaN		AlN		Refs.
Space group	–	$C_{6 V}^{4} P 6_{3} mc$		$C_{6 V}^{4} P 6_{3} mc$		–
Lattice constants (a)	nm	3.189		3.112		[5]
Lattice constants (c)	nm	5.158		4.982
Bandgaps ( $T = 300 K$ )	eV	3.4		6.2
Electron effective masses	$m_{0}$	0.18		0.27		[3]
Hole effective masses	$m_{0}$	$m_{h h}^{⊥}$	1.61	$m_{h h}^{⊥}$	10.42
		$m_{l h}^{⊥}$	0.14	$m_{l h}^{⊥}$	0.24
		$m_{split}^{⊥}$	1.04	$m_{split}^{⊥}$	3.81
		$m_{h h}^{∥}$	1.76	$m_{h h}^{∥}$	3.53
		$m_{l h}^{∥}$	1.76	$m_{l h}^{∥}$	3.53
		$m_{split}^{∥}$	0.16	$m_{split}^{∥}$	0.25
$Δ so$	meV	0.008		0.019		[6]
$Δ cr$	meV	10		−169		[7]
Raman shift peak $E_{2}$ (high) position ( $T = 300 K$ )	${cm}^{- 1}$	567		657		[8]
Static dielectric constants		8.9		8.5		[9]
Elastic coefficients $c_{33}$	GPa	398		373		[5]
Elastic coefficients $c_{31}$	GPa	106		108
Spontaneous polarization coefficients	$C / m^{2}$	−0.029		−0.081
Piezoelectric polarization coefficients $e_{33}$	$C / m^{2}$	0.73		1.46		[9]
Piezoelectric polaroid coefficients $e_{31}$	$C / m^{2}$	−0.49		−0.60		[9]

Organizations	Techniques	Material	XRD (arc sec)	DD ( ${cm}^{- 2}$ )	Year	Refs.
Leibniz Institute for Crystal Growth (IKZ), Germany	PVT	Bulk AlN $10 mm \times 10 mm \times 12 mm$	(0002): 21	Center: 100 Edge: $10^{4}$	2013	[32]
North Carolina State University, USA	PVT	Bulk AlN 10–15 mm	(0002): 12 (10–12): 22	$< 10^{4}$	2011	[33,34]
Ludwig Maximilians University, Germany	PVT	Bulk AlN 28 mm	(0002): 72 (10-13): 200	$2 - 5 \times 10^{5}$	2013	[35]
HEXATECH INC.	PVT	Bulk AlN 50 mm	(0002): $< 100$	$10^{3}$	2017	[36]
Ioffe Physical-Technical Institute, Russia	Sublimation sandwich method (SSM)	Bulk AlN 50 mm	(0002): 70–120	$10^{4}$	2013	[37]
Crystal IS, Inc., USA	Sublimation- recondensation technique	Bulk AlN 50 mm	(0002): 28 (10–12): 32	$< 10^{4}$	2008	[38]
Nitride Solutions Inc., USA	On sapphire substrate, by HVPE	AlN	(0002): 130 (10–12): 516	$2.95 \times 10^{9}$ (Calculated by XRD)	2015	[40]
Mie University, Japan	On annealed AlN/sapphire template	AlN	(0002): 16 (10–12): 154	$4.7 \times 10^{8}$ (by TEM)	2016	[41]
	On grooved AlN/sapphire template by ELOG	AlN	(0002): 148 (10–10): 385	$5 \times 10^{7}$	2011	[60]
	Annealing of sputtered AlN/sapphire substrate	AlN	(0002): 49 (10–12): 287	$9.2 \times 10^{8}$ (Calculated by XRD)	2016	[61]
Sensor Electronic Technology, Inc, USA	On grooved AlN/sapphire template by MEELOG	AlN	(0002): 157 (10–12): 291	$2.6 \times 10^{8}$	2008	[62]
RIKEN, Japan	On patterned Si	AlN	(0002): 620 (10–12): 1141	$10^{8} - 10^{9}$	2016	[63]
Institute of Semiconductors, China	On NP AlN/sapphire template by ELOG	AlN	(0002): 69.4 (10–12):319.1	$1.1 \times 10^{9}$ (Calculated by XRD)	2014	[64]
Peking University, China	On NPSS	AlN	(0002): 171 (10–12): 205	$3.2 \times 10^{8}$	2016	[65]
Ferdinand-Braun-Institute, Germany	On grooved AlN/sapphire template by ELOG	AlN	(0002): 180 (30–32):310	Below $10^{9}$	2012	[66]
Ferdinand-Braun-Institute, Germany	On ex situ nanopatterned ${SiN}_{X}$ /AlN/sapphire substrate, by ELOG	AlN	(0002): 125 (30-32): 325	Below $10^{9}$	2013	[67]
University at Ulm, Germany	On in situ nanopatterned ${SiN}_{X}$ /AlN/sapphire substrate, by ELOG	AlGaN	(0002): 260 (10–12): 685	$4.9 \times 10^{9}$ (Calculated by XRD)	2011	[68]
University at Ulm, Germany	On sapphire substrate by two-step process	AlN	(0002): 92 (10–12): 1162	$1 \times 10^{10}$	2015	[45]
CIOMP, CAS, China	On sapphire substrate by two-step growth	AlN	(0002): 60 (10–12): 550	$3.4 \times 10^{9}$ (Calculated by XRD)	2013	[44]
Georgia Institute of Technology, Arizona State University, USA	On sapphire substrate by three-step growth	AlN	(0002): 280 (10–12): 480	Total DD: $2.5 \times 10^{9}$	2015	[46]
City University of New York, Texas Tech University, USA	On sapphire substrate by three-step growth	AlN	(0002): 280 (10–12): 480	$2 \times 10^{9}$	2012	[47]
Meijo University, Japan	On NCC-SS combining three-step mehtod	AlN	(0002): 50 (10–12): 250	$0.8 \times 10^{9}$ (XRD) $2 \times 10^{9}$ (TEM)	2017	[48]
University College Cork, Ireland	On self-assembled patterned AlN-nanorod/sapphire, by ELOG	AlN	—	$3.5 \times 10^{8}$	2015	[69]

Organizations	Techniques	Material	Hole Concentration at RT ( ${cm}^{- 3}$ )	Mobility at RT ( ${cm}^{2} / Vs$ )	Resistivity at RT ( $Ω \cdot cm$ )	Year	Refs.
University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, China	Polarization-induced doping	${Al}_{x} {Ga}_{1 - x} N : Mg$ ( $x = 0.7 - 1$ )	$8 \times 10^{16}$	40	1.95	2013	[79]
	Polarization-induced doping	${Al}_{x} {Ga}_{1 - x} N : Be$ ( $x = 0.7 - 1$ )	$9 \times 10^{18}$	30	0.0231	2013	[79]
Sun Yat-sen University, China	Indium-surfactant assisted delta-doping	${Al}_{0.4} {Ga}_{0.6} N : Mg$	$4.75 \times 10^{18}$	1.34	0.98	2015	[80]
Tokuyama Corporation, Japan	Modifying V/III ratio	${Al}_{0.7} {Ga}_{0.3} N : Mg$	$1.3 \times 10^{17}$	1.02	47	2013	[88]
Ritsumeikan University, Riken Institute, Japan	Alternative codoping	${Al}_{0.4} {Ga}_{0.6} N : Mg$	$6.3 \times 10^{18}$	1.00	0.99	2011	[94]
Xiamen University, China	Mg- and Si-delta codoped SLs	${Al}_{0.2} {Ga}_{0.8}$ N/GaN SL	$5.77 \times 10^{18}$	3.21	0.37	2009	[98]
Xiamen University, China	Multidimensional Mg-doped SLs	${Al}_{0.63} {Ga}_{0.37} N / {Al}_{0.51} G_{0.49} aN$ SLs	$3.5 \times 10^{18}$	2.55	0.70	2016	[101]
Kogakuin University, Japan	C-doped	${Al}_{0.1} {Ga}_{0.9} N : C$	$3.2 \times 10^{18}$	0.40	20	2012	[102]
Xidian University, China	Uniform doping	${Al}_{0.2} {Ga}_{0.8} N : Mg$	—	—	0.71	2009	[103]

Organizations	Structures and Techniques	EQE	Wavelength (nm)	Year	Refs.
UV Craftory, Japan	With encapsulation	14.3% at 2 mA	285	2014	[115]
Sensor Electronic Technology Inc., USA	With UV transparent and stable encapsulation	11% at 10 mA	278	2015	[116–119]
RIKEN, Japan	With MQB	7% at 25 mA	279	2014	[120]
	Transparent AlGaN:Mg contact layer, Rh mirror electrode, AlN template on a patterned sapphire substrate, encapsulation resin	20.3% at 10 mA	275	2017	[121]
	Transparent AlGaN:Mg contact layer	5.5% at 35 mA	287	2013	[131]
	High reflective index electrode	5.5% at 35 mA	287	2013	[131]
Crystal IS, USA	Die thinning and encapsulation	5.8% at 60 mA	271	2013	[122]
Crystal IS, USA	Die thinning and encapsulation	5.5% at 50 mA	266	2013	[132]
University of South Carolina, USA	With ( $6 \times 6$ ) micropixel array	4% at 40 mA	268	2013	[123]
Tokuyama Corporation, Japan	LED grown on AlN Substrate (by HVPE)	2.4% at 250 mA	268	2013	[124,125]
Tokuyama Corporation, Japan	LED grown on AlN Substrate (by HVPE)	2.2% at 20 mA	261	2013	[124,125]
Meijo University, Japan	( $800 μm \times 800 μm$ ) packaged device with flip-chip configuration	5.1% at 20 mA	280	2016	[126,127]
Nagoya University, Japan		3.1% at 20 mA	257	2016	[126,127]
Nichia Chemical Industries, Japan	Sapphire/AlN/AlGaN-QW	2.78% at 20 mA	281	2010	[128]
National Institute of Information and Communications Technology, Japan	Nanoimprint lithography	3.9% at 850 mA	265	2017	[130]

Organizations	Material and Structure	EB Energy	Output Power (mW)	PCE (%)	Wavelength (nm)	Year	Refs.
Mie University, Japan	Si-doped AlGaN film	10 keV, 100 μA	2.2	0.24	247	2011	[147]
National Institute for Materials Science, Japan	hBN powder	8 keV, 50 μA	0.2	0.6	225	2009	[148]
Kyoto University, Japan	AlGaN MQW	8 keV, 45 μA	100	40	238	2010	[149]
Stanley Electric Corporation, Japan	AlGaN MQW	7.5 kV, 80 μA	20	4	240	2012	[150]
Mie University, Japan	Si-doped AlGaN MQW	10 keV, 200 μA	15	0.75	256	2013	[151]
Ioffe Institute, Russia	AlGaN MQW	20 keV, 100 μA	3.2	0.16	270	2015	[152]
Peking University, China	Quasi-2D GaN inserted in AlGaN MQW	15 keV, 700 μA	27	0.3	285	2016	[153]
Palo Alto Research Center, Inc., USA	AlGaN MQW	12 keV, 4.4 mA (Pulsed)	230	0.43	246	2016	[154]

Operation Mode	Organizations	Substrates and Techniques	Threshold	Maximum Power	Differential Efficiency (Both facets)	Wavelength (nm)	Year	Refs.
Pulsed electric pump (at RT)	Central Research Laboratories, Hamamatsu Photonics K.K., Japan	Patterned GaN template (No facet coating)	$17.6 KA / {cm}^{2}$	3 mW	1.1%	336	2008	[169]
			$8 KA / {cm}^{2}$	80 mW	17.4%	359.6	2009	[174]
			$56 kA / {cm}^{2}$	10 mW	14%	356.6	2015	[175]
			$15.4 kA / {cm}^{2}$	35.2 mW	1.8%	340	2013	[176]
	Sandia National Laboratories, USA	Patterned AlGaN template (facets coating)	$22.5 kA / {cm}^{2}$	2.7 mW	0.0135 W/A	353	2015	[177]
Continuous electric pump	McGill University, McMaster University, Canada	AlGaN nanowire laser On Si substrate	$200 A / {cm}^{2}$ at 77 K	—	—	262.1	2015	[171]
			$10 A / {cm}^{- 2}$ at 6 K	—	—	334.1	2015	[172]
			$300 A / {cm}^{2}$ at RT	—	—	289	2015	[173]
Optical pump (at RT)	Kohgakuin University, Japan	SiC substrate	$1200 kW / {cm}^{2}$	—	—	241.5	2004	[164]
	University of South Carolina, USA	AlN/on PSS By PLOG	$9 MW / {cm}^{2}$	—	—	214	2006	[165]
	Sandia National Laboratories, USA	Patterned AlGaN/AlN/sapphire template	$34 kW / {cm}^{2}$	—	—	346	2015	[177]
	University of Sheffield, UK	Porous AlN/sapphire	$6.6 kW / {cm}^{2}$	—	—	340	2009	[178]
	Palo Alto Research Center Inc. (PARC), USA	AlN substrate	$175 kW / {cm}^{2}$	—	—	330	2009	[179]
			$126 kW / {cm}^{2}$	—	—	267	2011	[180,181]
			$41 kW / {cm}^{2}$	—	—	266	2016	[182]
			—	—	—	237–291	2016	[182]
	HexaTech, Inc., North Carolina State University, USA	AlN substrate	$84 kW / {cm}^{2}$	—	—	280.8	2013	[183]
	HexaTech, Inc., North Carolina State University, USA	AlN substrate	$90 kW / {cm}^{2}$	—	—	263.9	2013	[183]
	Technical University of Berlin, Germany	AlN substrate	$50 mJ / {cm}^{2}$	—	—	279	2014	[184]
	Technical University of Berlin, Germany	AlN/template	$65 mJ / {cm}^{2}$	—	—	272	2014	[184]
	Georgia Institute of Technology, Arizona State University, USA	AlN substrate	$427 kW / {cm}^{2}$	—	—	243.5	2013	[185]
		AlN substrate	$297 kW / {cm}^{2}$	—	—	245.3	2014	[186]
		AlN template	$95 kW / {cm}^{2}$	—	—	249	2014	[187]
	Institute of Semiconductors, China	Sapphire substrate	$64 mJ / {cm}^{2}$	—	—	288	2015	[188]

Device Structures	Organizations	Light of Detection	Responsivity	Detection Contrast	Gain	Detectivity ( $cm \cdot {Hz}^{1 / 2} / W$ )	Year	Refs.
Schottky	National Cheng Kung University	300 nm–360 nm	0.057 A/W at −2 V	$\sim 1.5 \times 10^{2}$	—	$1.26 \times 10^{8}$ at −2 V	2009	[192]
Schottky	National Cheng Kung University	320 nm–360 nm	$1.03 \times 10^{- 2} A / W$ at −10 V	$3.38 \times 10^{5}$	—	$4.52 \times 10^{10}$ at −10 V	2015	[193]
MSM	Bilkent University	222 nm	0.53 A/W at 50 V	$10^{5} - 10^{7}$	—	$1.64 \times 10^{12}$ at 222 nm at 0 V	2006	[198]
	CIOMP, CAS	288 nm	0.288 A/W at 5 V	—	—	—	2014	[205]
	Ferdinand-Braun-Institute	210 nm–260 nm	46 mA/W at 0 V	$> 10^{4}$	—	—	2015	[201]
	Huazhong University of Science and Technology	200 nm–270 nm	2.34 A/W at 269 nm at 20 V	—	—	—	2015	[206]
p-(i)-n	Northwestern University	270 nm–290 nm	136.5 mA/W at 281.5 nm at 0 V	$\sim 10^{2}$	—	—	2004	[211]
p-(i)-n	Northwestern University	270 nm–280 nm	176 mA/W at 275 nm at 0 V	$> 10^{2}$	—	—	2013	[212]
APD	Northwestern University	230 nm–270 nm	0.11 A/W at 254 nm at −25 V	$> 10^{4}$	25	$4.68 \times 10^{13}$	2005	[194]
	Northwestern University	278 nm	—	—	700	—	2005	[215]
	Bilkent University	230 nm–280 nm	0.13 A/W at 272 nm at −20 V	$10^{2} - 10^{5}$	1560	$1.4 \times 10^{14}$	2007	[216]
	Sun Yat-sen University	270 nm	79.8 mA/W at 270 nm at 0 V	—	$> 2500$	—	2010	[217]
	Nanjing University	270 nm–280 nm	132 mA/W at 281 nm at −60 V	$10 - 10^{3}$	3000	—	2012	[218]
	Sun Yat-sen University	244 nm–275 nm	98 mA/W at 262 nm at 0 V	$> 10^{3}$	2000 4000	—	2013	[195]
	Nanjing University	280 nm	0.15 A/W at 280 nm at −15 V	$10^{3} - 10^{4}$	$1.2 \times 10^{4}$	—	2014	[222]
	Georgia Institute of Technology	200 nm–362 nm	43.4 mA/W at 354 nm at 0 V 221.8 mA/W at 362 nm at −80 V	—	$1.5 \times 10^{5}$	—	2015	[223]
	Sun Yat-sen University	250 nm–280 nm	114.1 mA/W at 0 V	$\sim 10^{2}$	$2 \times 10^{4}$	—	2016	[224]
	Sun Yat-sen University	250 nm–280 nm	145.3 mA/W at −10 V 176.2 mA/W at −20 V	$\sim 10^{2}$	$2 \times 10^{4}$	—	2016	[224]

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