Comparison of GaN, InN and AlN powders for susceptor-based rapid annealing of group III nitride materials

We have compared the use of GaN, InN and AlN powders for providing a nitrogen partial pressure within a graphite susceptor during high-temperature rapid thermal annealing of GaN, AlN, InN and InAlN. At temperatures above vapour transport of In from InN powder produces In droplet condensation on the surface of all nitride samples being annealed. GaN powder provides better surface protection than AlN powders for temperatures up to when annealing GaN and AlN samples. Dissociation of nitrides from the surface is found to occur with approximate activation energies of 3.8 eV, 4.4 eV and 3.4 eV, respectively, for GaN, AlN and InN.