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Development of a High Lateral Resolution Electron Beam Induced Current Technique for Electrical Characterization of InGaN-Based Quantum Well Light Emitting Diodes

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  11 February 2011

Kristin L. Bunker ,
Juan Carlos Gonzalez ,
Dale Batchelor ,
Terrence J. Stark  and
Phillip E. Russell
Kristin L. Bunker
Affiliation:
Analytical Instrumentation Facility and Materials Science and Engineering Department, North Carolina State University, Box 7531, Raleigh, NC 27695, USA
Juan Carlos Gonzalez
Affiliation:
Analytical Instrumentation Facility and Materials Science and Engineering Department, North Carolina State University, Box 7531, Raleigh, NC 27695, USA
Dale Batchelor
Affiliation:
Analytical Instrumentation Facility and Materials Science and Engineering Department, North Carolina State University, Box 7531, Raleigh, NC 27695, USA
Terrence J. Stark
Affiliation:
Materials Analytical Services, 616 Hutton Street, Suite 101, Raleigh, NC 27606, USA
Phillip E. Russell
Affiliation:
Analytical Instrumentation Facility and Materials Science and Engineering Department, North Carolina State University, Box 7531, Raleigh, NC 27695, USA Materials Analytical Services, 616 Hutton Street, Suite 101, Raleigh, NC 27606, USA
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Abstract

Electron Beam Induced Current (EBIC) is a Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM)-based technique that can provide information on the electrical properties of semiconductor materials and devices. This work focuses on the design and implemenation of an EBIC system in a dedicated Scanning Transmission Electron Microscope (STEM). The STEM-EBIC technique was used in the characterization of an Indium Gallium Nitride (InGaN) quantum well Light Emitting Diode (LED). The conventional “H-bar” Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) sample preparation method using Focused Ion Beam Micromachining (FIBM) was adapted to create an electron-transparent membrane approximately 300 nm thick on the sample while preserving the electrical activity of the device. A STEM-EBIC sample holder with two insulated electrical feedthroughs making contact to the thinned LED was designed and custom made for these experiments. The simultaneous collection of Z-contrast images, EBIC images, and In and Al elemental images allowed for the determination of the p-n junction location, AlGaN and GaN barrier layers, and the thin InGaN quantum well layer within the device. The relative position of the p-n junction with respect to the thin InGaN quantum well was found to be (19 ± 3) nm from the center of the InGaN quantum well.

Type
Research Article
Information
MRS Online Proceedings Library (OPL) , Volume 743: Symposium L – GaN and Related Alloys , 2002 , L10.10
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2003

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References

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