Growth of GaN films using trimethylgallium and hydrazine

Hydrazine has been used as a nitrogen source for the organometallic vapor phase deposition of GaN using trimethylgallium and a nitrogen carrier gas in the temperature range 425–960 °C. Hydrazine and trimethylgallium form an adduct at room temperature which decomposes over the substrate with an activation energy of 1 eV for temperatures below 650 °C. No carbon has been detected by Auger spectroscopy in the films. The electrical properties are dominated by oxygen impurities, probably originating from the hydrazine. Since hydrazine readily decomposes above 400 °C, it is a better source of nitrogen for low-temperature depositions than other, more stable nitrogen sources.