Hexacoordinated Gallium(III) Triazenide Precursor for Epitaxial Gallium Nitride by Atomic Layer Deposition

Gallium nitride (GaN) is the main component of modern-day high electron mobility transistor electronic devices due to its favorable electronic properties. As electronic devices become smaller with more complex architecture, the ability to deposit high-quality GaN films at low temperature is required. Herein, we report a new highly volatile Ga(III) triazenide precursor and demonstrate its ability to deposit high-quality epitaxial GaN by atomic layer deposition (ALD). This new Ga(III) triazenide precursor, the first hexacoordinated M–N bonded Ga(III) precursor used in a vapor deposition process, was easily synthesized and purified by sublimation. Thermogravimetric analysis showed single step volatilization with an onset temperature of 150 °C and negligible residual mass. Three temperature intervals with self-limiting growth were observed when depositing GaN films. In the second growth interval, the films were found to be near stoichiometric with very low levels of impurities and epitaxial orientation on 4H-SiC without an AlN seed layer. The films grown at 350 °C were found to be smooth with a sharp interface between the substrate and film. The bandgap of these films was 3.41 eV with the Fermi level at 1.90 eV, showing that the GaN films were unintentionally <i>n</i>-type doped. This new triazenide precursor enables ALD of GaN for semiconductor applications and provides a new Ga(III) precursor for future deposition processes.