Investigation of hydrogen implantation induced blistering in GaN

Abstract A systematic investigation of surface blister formation on GaN epitaxial layers implanted with 100 keV H 2 + ions with a dose of 1.3×10 17 cm –2 and annealed at various temperatures in the range of 350–700 °C was carried out. Two different activation energies were found for the formation of surface blisters: 1.79 eV in the lower temperature regime of 350–400 °C and 0.48 eV in the higher temperature regime of 400–700 °C. The depth and width of the blisters were determined using a stylus profilometer. The hydrogen implantation‐induced damage was assessed using cross‐sectional transmission microscopy revealing a band of defects extending from 230–500 nm from the surface of GaN. (© 2006 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)