Nagoya University has developed a novel crystal growth method for GaN using plasma. This method allows for high-speed growth at low temperatures without the use of harmful ammonia.
GaN, which is expected to be a next-generation power device material, typically uses MOCVD for crystal growth. MOCVD requires a large amount of toxic ammonia gas and operates at high temperatures above 1150°C, presenting challenges for achieving high quality and low-cost production, thus hindering the practical application of GaN devices.
The research group has now developed a new crystal growth method called "radical-assisted metal-organic chemical vapor deposition," utilizing low-temperature plasma and nitrogen/hydrogen radicals. In addition to not using ammonia gas, this method allows for the high-speed growth of GaN crystals at around 800°C, which is a low temperature compared to MOCVD. This innovation is expected to realize low-cost and high-quality GaN devices, contributing to the acceleration of their practical application.
