Defect structure in selective area growth GaN pyramid on (111)Si substrate

A GaN pyramid grown selectively on a (111)Si substrate with a patterned dot structure of a SiO2 mask, by metalorganic vapor phase epitaxy using AlGaN as an intermediate layer, was characterized by transmission electron microscopy. The dot pattern has an array of 5.0-μm-diameter window openings with a 10 μm period. The density of threading dislocations observed in the window region decreased gradually with increasing distance from the interface. This was mainly due to the dislocation reaction and bending of threading dislocations for the first 2 μm region from the interface and for the upper region, respectively. Dominantly observed defects in the lateral-growth part were dislocations parallel to the interface. An amorphous layer was formed at the interface in the window region. Nitride particles were observed at the interface in the mask region.