High-resolution hydrogen profiling in AlGaN/GaN heterostructures grown by different epitaxial methods

Hydrogen (H) incorporation into AlGaN/GaN heterostructures used in high electron mobility transistors, grown by different methods, is studied by high-resolution depth profiling. Samples grown on sapphire and Si(1 1 1) substrates by molecular-beam epitaxy and metal–organic vapour phase epitaxy; involving H-free and H-containing precursors, were analysed to evaluate the eventual incorporation of H into the wafer. The amount of H was measured by means of nuclear reaction analysis (NRA) using the ¹H(¹⁵N,αγ )¹²C reaction up to a depth of ∼110 nm into the heterostructures. Interestingly, the H profiles are similar in all the samples analysed, with an increasing H content towards the surface and a negligible H incorporation into the GaN layer (0.24 ± 0.08 at%) or at the AlGaN/GaN interface. Therefore, NRA shows that H uptake is not related to the growth process or technique employed and that H contamination may be due to external sources after growth. The eventual correlation between topographical defects on the AlGaN surface and the H concentration are also discussed. (Some figures in this article are in colour only in the electronic version)