Reduction of Threading Dislocation Density in 2H-AlN Grown on 6H-SiC(0001) by Minimizing Unintentional Active-Nitrogen Exposure before Growth

300-nm-thick AlN layers were grown directly on 6H-SiC(0001) with six Si-C bilayer-height (1.5 nm) steps by rf-plasma-assisted molecular-beam epitaxy (MBE). To avoid unintentional active-nitrogen exposure, AlN was grown just after the nitrogen plasma ignition. By combining optimized Ga pre-deposition and no active-nitrogen exposure, layer-by-layer growth was realized from the first layer of AlN. Screw-type and edge-type threading dislocation densities in the AlN layer were reduced to 6 x 10(4) and 4 x 10(8) cm(-2), respectively. Most of the edge-type dislocations were located at the step edge of the SiC substrate. The dislocation density of the AlN grown on the terrace of the SiC substrate was as low as 8 x 10(7) cm(-2). (C) 2011 The Japan Society of Applied Physics