Thermodynamic analysis of trimethylgallium decomposition during GaN metal organic vapor phase epitaxy.

We analyzed the decomposition of Ga(CH 3 ) 3 (TMG) during the metal organic vapor phase epitaxy (MOVPE) of GaN on the basis of first-principles calculations and thermodynamic analysis. We performed activation energy calculations of TMG decomposition and determined the main reaction processes of TMG during GaN MOVPE. We found that TMG reacts with the H 2 carrier gas and that (CH 3 ) 2 GaH is generated after the desorption of the methyl group. Next, (CH 3 ) 2 GaH decomposes into (CH 3 )GaH 2 and this decomposes into GaH 3 . Finally, GaH 3 becomes GaH. In the MOVPE growth of GaN, TMG decomposes into GaH by the successive desorption of its methyl groups. The results presented here concur with recent high-resolution mass spectroscopy results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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