High-quality GaN films were grown on Si(111) substrate by metalorganic chemical vapor deposition using a SixNy inserting layer. Due to the large difference of lattice constant and thermal expansion coefficient between GaN and Si, GaN growth on Si(111) substrate usually led to an initially high dislocation density and cracks. It was found that the SixNy inserting layer played a very important role in the enhancement of crystal quality and surface morphology of GaN films. The crystalline quality of overlying GaN layer grown on SixNy inserting layer depended upon the deposition time of SixNy inserting layer. The high-resolution X-ray diffraction results showed that the dislocation density in GaN epilayer decreased with increasing SixNy growth time. It was confirmed that the misfit dislocations in the GaN films with 300s deposition time for SixNy inserting layer almost stopped at the SixNy inserting layer by transmission electron microscope measurements.

Reduction of Dislocations in GaN Epilayers Grown on Si(111) Substrate using SixNy Inserting Layer. K.J.Lee, E.H.Shin, K.Y.Lim: Applied Physics Letters, 2004, 85[9], 1502-4