Growth of nonpolar and semipolar GaN on Silicon and sapphire substrates and investigation of optical processes for high efficiency – GASIOPHE

The objective of the current programme is to establish the growth protocol leading to the optimization of the growth of nonpolar and semipolar GaN on low-cost patterned silicon and sapphire substrates. This having been done we will grow in a second time, optoelectronic devices susceptible to emit in the green and amber regions of the visible light for which growth using cheap and un-patterned sapphire substrates is not giving satisfactory results, we will analyze them and we will evaluate, from both the economic and performances points of view the potentialities of this growth approach.
Several problems are expected to be faced if it is to address this technological challenge. To optimize our capability to give the most reliable answer to this technology which is an alternative to the expensive one based on utilization of GaN substrates we have formed the present consortium with:
• A world widely known nitride growth laboratory led by Professor Hadis Morkoc at the Virginia Commonwealth University (team VCU) in the United States.
• A mixed CNRS-University of Montpellier 2 (team CNRS-UM2 hereafter) led by Dr. Bernard Gil, director of research at CNRS. This second partner will operate in its area of excellence namely, the measurement of optical properties, quantum efficiencies and modelling of materials, heterostructures and devices. This skill is complementary to the one of the American partner. It is worthwhile noticing that the group leaders have an experience of previous successful collaborations, know each other for a long time. There are no overlaps between the skills of these partners and the requested complementarities to solve the research programme presented below. Complementary funding to this ANR call has been requested near the NSF by the American partner.