Al0.44Ga0.56N spacer layer to prevent electron accumulation inside barriers in lattice-matched InAlN/AlGaN/AlN/GaN heterostructures

The barrier structure in lattice-matched InAlN/GaN heterostructures with AlGaN-based spacer layers grown by metal organic vapor phase epitaxy was studied by the capacitance-voltage (C-V) method. To investigate the characteristics under positive bias, an Al2O3 overlayer was added. The C-V characteristic of a sample with an Al0.38Ga0.62N (5 nm)/AlN (0.75 nm) double spacer layer exhibited an anomalous saturation at a value far below the insulator capacitance under positive bias, which indicated electron accumulation at the InAlN/AlGaN interface. The C-V characteristic of an alternative sample with a single Al0.44Ga0.56N (1.5 nm) spacer layer did not exhibit the anomalous saturation. (C) 2011 American Institute of Physics. [doi:10.1063/1.3578449]