Incorporation of Mg in metalorganic vapour phase epitaxy (MOVPE) GaN has been investigated, using two different Mg precursors: bis-methylcyclopentadienyl magnesium [(MeCp)2Mg] and Solution bis-cyclopentadienyl magnesium [Solution Cp2Mg]. SIMS analysis reveals an increased (two fold) efficiency of Mg incorporation for Solution Cp2Mg as compared to (MeCp)2Mg. These results are attributed to the stronger interaction of (MeCp)2Mg with NH3, leading to the formation of alkylmagnesium amine adducts, and a reduced effective Mg surface concentration. A decreased GaN growth rate with increasing Mg fluxes is also reported for both precursors. This effect is more pronounced for Solution Cp2Mg indicating that incorporation of Mg in the lattice proceeds via the capture of Mg into group III sites, and that the supply of Mg from the surface is reduced in the case when (MeCp)2Mg is used.

Multiwafer Planetary Reactor is a promising system for large-scale production of heterostructures for LED's based on III-group nitrides. Analysis of chemical processes occurring in the reactor allows one to get insight into specific mechanisms governing growth of nitride based heterostructures. In the present paper results of modeling analysis of MOVPE of InxGa1−xN layers in AIX-200 Reactor and AIX 2000 HT Planetary Reactor are reported. The model used for MOVPE process analysis accounts for gas flow, heat transfer, and multicomponent mass transport along with gas phase and surface chemical reactions. Results of the modeling analysis of In transport and incorporation into the solid phase are compared with experimental data. It is shown that the model predicts reasonably well the In incorporation during MOVPE of InGaN under In/(In+Ga) ratio in the gas phase less than 20%.

Recent studies revealed specific features of chemical processes occurring on the surface of growing group-III nitrides – extremely low sticking probability of molecular nitrogen, low sticking coefficient and incomplete decomposition of ammonia frequently used as the nitrogen precursor. These features (kinetic by nature) result in the growth process going on under conditions remarkably deviated from the gas-solid heterogeneous equilibrium. In this paper we propose a novel approach to modeling of group-III nitride growth by MOVPE taking into account these features. In the model the sticking/evaporation coefficients of N2 and NH3 extracted from independent experiments are used allowing adequate description of the kinetic effects. The model is applied to analysis of growth of binary (GaN) and ternary (InGaN) compounds in a horizontal tube reactor. The growth rate and the solid phase composition are predicted theoretically and compared with available experimental data. The modeling results reveal lower ammonia decomposition ratio on the surface of the crystal as compared to thermodynamic expectations. The developed model can be used for optimization of growth process conditions.