In this work columnar nanospirals of AlInN were grown on top of TiN-coated sapphire substrates by magnetron sputtering. A variety of samples with different growth parameters were fabricated and investigated. The main objectives in this work were to optimize the degree of circular polarization and to control the active wavelength region for where this polarization effect occurs. Attempts were made to achieve a high degree of circular polarization in both reflected and transmitted light. It is shown that for reflected light it is possible to achieve a high degree of circular polarization within the visible wavelength regions. For transmitted light the concept of achieving circularly polarized light is proven.

Les semi-conducteurs III-V à base d’azote et leurs alliages possèdent des propriétés remarquables et sont largement étudiés depuis les années 90. En comparaison à d'autres semi-conducteurs III-V, Les alliages de type ; AlGaN, InGaN et AlInN, ont leurs bandes interdites, directes, du lointain ultra-violet au proche infrarouge. Ainsi, ils sont appropriés pour de nombreuses applications dans des domaines tant civils que militaires tout en montrant de meilleures performances. De plus, l'alliage quaternaire AlGaInN montre des propriétés intéressantes car il peut être épitaxié soit avec un paramètre de maille ou une polarisation ou une bande interdite accordé au GaN. De plus, avec AlInN, ces deux alliages pourraient, à terme, remplacer les barrières conventionnelles AlGaN/GaN pour les applications aux Transistors à Haute Mobilité Électroniques (HEMT) grâce à des performances supérieures prouvées théoriquement.Dans ce travail, nous avons étudié les alliages AlInN et AlGaInN dont la croissance a été faite par épitaxie en phase vapeur d’organométalliques (MOVPE). Pour cela, la microscopie électronique en transmission a été notre principal outil de caractérisation. Le but était de caractériser les défauts et les mécanismes de croissance pendant la MOVPE. Dans cette optique, l'incorporation de gallium dans la barrière en raison de la géométrie de la chambre de croissance menant à un alliage quaternaire a été étudiée. Le contrôle du taux de gallium est réalisé soit par un processus de nettoyage entre les épitaxies soit par les conditions de croissance. Les défauts ont été ensuite différenciés comme extrinsèques et intrinsèques. En effet, les dislocations et les domaines d'inversion dans le GaN produisent des défauts extrinsèques, tandis que, les « pinholes » non connectés aux dislocations et les « hillocks » responsables de la rugosité de surface sont définis comme intrinsèques. Les origines des défauts intrinsèques dépendent fortement des propriétés physiques des composés parents binaires. Ces dégradations systématiques sont observées même lorsque les conditions de croissance sont optimisées et quand la composition du film mince est changée ou son épaisseur augmentée.Notre travail propose des mécanismes différents pour expliquer les processus de dégradation pour les différents défauts observés et constitue donc un pas en avant pour la réalisation de HEMT à base de AlInN et AlGaInN de meilleure qualité. / Group III-Nitrides and their alloys exhibit outstanding properties and are being extensively investigated since the 90’s. In comparison to other III-V semiconductors, III-nitrides (AlGaN, InGaN, and AlInN) cover from deep ultraviolet (UV) to near infrared (IR) across the visible range of wavelengths. Thus, they are suitable for numerous applications both in civilian and military fields showing higher performances. Moreover, the quaternary alloy AlGaInN shows versatile properties as it can grow either lattice or polarization or bandgap matched to GaN. Alongside to AlInN, these two alloys are expected to replace conventional AlGaN/GaN High Electron Mobility Transistors (HEMT) barriers as higher performances have been theoretically demonstrated.In this work, we have studied AlInN and AlGaInN grown by metal organic vapor phase epitaxy (MOVPE) using mainly TEM. The aim was to characterize defects and the MOVPE growth alloying process. In this instance, the gallium incorporation in the barrier due to the geometry of the growth chamber leading to a quaternary alloy was studied. The control of the gallium content is achieved by a cleaning process between runs or by the growth condition. Defects were then differentiated as extrinsic and intrinsic. In this way, dislocations and inversion domains from the GaN buffer layer generate extrinsic defects, while, pinhole not connected to dislocations and individual hillocks responsible of surface roughening are termed as intrinsic. The origins of the latter defects depend strongly on the physical mismatches of the end-binary compound. These systematic degradations happen also with optimized growth conditions as soon as the nominal composition is changed and/or the thickness is increased.Our work proposes different mechanisms to explain defects generation processes which constitutes a forward step for higher quality HEMTs.

InGaN based blue and near-ultraviolet light emitting diodes and laser diodes have been successfully commercialized for many applications such as general lighting, display backlighting and high density optical storage devices. Despite having a comparably high defect density, these devices are known for their efficient operation, which is attributed to localization in potential fluctuations preventing carriers from reaching the centers of nonradiative recombination. Nitride research is currently headed towards improving deep ultraviolet AlGaN and green InGaN emitters with higher Al and In molar fractions. The efficiency of these devices trails behind the blue counterparts as the carrier localization does not seem to aid in supressing nonradiative losses. In addition, the operation of ternary nitride heterostructure based devices is further complicated by the presence of large built-in electric fields. Although the problem can be ameliorated by growing structures in nonpolar or semipolar directions, the step from research to production still awaits. In this thesis, carrier dynamics and localization effects have been studied in three different nitride ternary compounds: AlGaN epitaxial layers and quantum wells with high Al content, nonpolar m-plane InGaN/GaN quantum wells and lattice matched AlInN/GaN heterostructures. The experimental methods of this work mainly consist of spectroscopy techniques such as time-resolved photoluminescence and differential transmission pump-probe measurements as well as spatial photoluminescence mapping by means of scanning near-field microscopy. The comparison of luminescence and differential transmission measurements has allowed estimating the localization depth in AlGaN quantum wells. Additionally, it has been demonstrated that the polarization degree of luminescence from m-InGaN quantum wells decreases as carriers diffuse to localization centers.What is more, dual-scale localization potential has been evidenced by near-field measurements in both AlGaN and m-InGaN. Larger scale potential fluctuation have been observed directly and the depth of nanoscopic localization has been estimated theoretically from the recorded linewidth of the near-field spectra. Lastly, efficient carrier transport has been observed through AlInN layer despite large alloy inhomogeneities evidenced by broad luminescence spectra and the huge Stokes shift. Inhomogeneous luminescence from the underlying GaN layer has been linked to the fluctuations of the built-in electric field at the AlInN/GaN interface. / <p>QC 20121101</p>

Les HEMT à base de nitrure de gallium sont des composants très prometteurs en termes de performances en puissance et de fréquence de travail. L'enjeu est donc de développer des technologies performantes et fiables, afin d'intégrer ces transistors aux systèmes hyperfréquences, notamment dans le domaine des télécommunications, et en milieu durci. Les travaux ont été focalisés sur l'étude de la localisation des sources de bruit en excès aux basses fréquences, et de leur évolution suite aux phases de tests de vieillissement accéléré. Les caractérisations électriques ont été réalisées sur des structures fabriquées sur quatre plaques, dont trois sont basées sur une hétérostructure AlGaN/GaN, et la quatrième sur l'hétérostructure AlInN/AlN/GaN. Les résultats obtenus ont permis de valider une méthode de modélisation des sources de bruit en 1/f, localisées dans les zones d'accès aux contacts ohmiques et dans le canal. Des tests de vieillissement accéléré sous contraintes électriques ont permis de détecter des dégradations des performances statiques et du niveau de bruit en excès. Les effets combinés de piégeage et des effets thermiques expliquent ces dégradations, la température s'en étant révélée un facteur d'accélération. / The HEMT based on GaN materials are very promising, speaking of performance in power and frequency. The challenge is to develop efficient and reliable GaN based technologies, to intagrate these transistors to power microwave circuits, especially in the telecommunications field and on harsh environment. The work was focused on the study of the location of low frequency noise sources, and their evolution after accelerated life tests. The electrical characterizations were performed on structures made on four different wafers, three based on the AlGaN/GaN heterostructure, and the fourth based on the AlInN/AlN/GaN heterostructure. Thanks to the achieved results, a method for modeling 1/f noise sources, located in the channel and in the ohmic contacts access areas, has been validated. Life tests under electrical stress have been performed to detect DC and excess noise degradation. These degradations are explained by combined effects of trapping and thermal phenomena, with the temperature as an acceleration factor of degradation.

Designs for deep ultraviolet (DUV) edge emitting laser diodes (LDs) based on the wurtzite III-nitride (III-N) material system are presented. A combination of proprietary and commercial advanced semiconductor LD simulation software is used to study the operation of III-N based DUV LDs theoretically. Critical factors limiting device performance are identified based on an extensive literature survey. A comprehensive design parameter space is investigated thoroughly with the help of advanced scripting capabilities. Several design strategies are proposed to eliminate the critical problems completely or partially. A DUV LD design is proposed based exclusively on AlInN active layers grown epitaxially on bulk AlN substrates because AlInN offers a promising alternative to AlGaN for the realization of LDs and LEDs operating in the DUV regime. The proposed AlInN-based design also features a tapered electron blocking layer (EBL) instead of a homogeneous one. Tapered EBLs redistribute the interfacial polarization charge volumetrically throughout the entire EBL thickness via compositional grading, and eliminate the parasitic inversion layer charge. AlGaN based DUV LD designs are explored also because at present, it may be difficult to grow AlInN epitaxially with superior crystalline quality. Polarization charge matching is proposed to improve electron and hole wavefunction overlap within the active region. Although the strategy of polarization charge matching has already been proposed in the literature to enhance performance of visible wavelength LEDs and LDs, the proposed design presents the first demonstration that polarization charge matching is also feasible for DUV LDs operating at sub-300 nm wavelengths. A lateral current injection (LCI) LD design is proposed featuring polarization-charge-matched barriers and regrown Ohmic contacts to avoid a group of issues related to the highly inefficient p-type doping of wide bandgap III-N materials in vertical injection designs. The proposed design partially decouples the problem of electrical injection from that of optical confinement. Although the idea of an LCI LD design has been proposed in the literature in the 90s to be used as longer wavelength active sources in optoelectronic integrated circuits using GaInAsP/InP and related material systems, the proposed design is the first theoretical demonstration that this concept can be applied to DUV LDs based on III-N material system. To solve the problem of hole transport in vertical injection designs, a DUV LD design based exclusively on AlGaN material system is presented, featuring an inverse-tapered p-waveguide layer instead of an EBL. Several EBL designs are investigated, and compared with conventionally-tapered EBL design. Through judicious volumetric redistribution of fixed negative polarization charge, inverse tapering may be exploited to achieve nearly flat valence band profiles free from barriers to hole injection into the active region, in contrast to conventional designs. Numerical simulations demonstrate that the inverse tapered strategy is a viable solution for efficient hole injection in vertical injection DUV LDs operating at shorter wavelengths (< 290 nm).