Study on a eco-friendly and efficient method for growing aluminum nitride whiskers. (April 2023)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Xie, Luxiao; Zhang, Hui; Xie, Xinjian; Wang, Endong; Cheng, Zishuang; Liu, Guodong; Bian, Lifeng; Chen, Guifeng
• Is Part Of: Vacuum. Volume 210(2023)
• Publication Date: 2023-04
• Subjects: AlN whiskers -- Growth mechanism -- Eco-friendly -- V/III ratio; Vacuum -- Periodicals; 621.55
• DOI: 10.1016/j.vacuum.2023.111809
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0042-207X

Abstract

Abstract: As the III-V semiconductor with the highest band gap, aluminum nitride (AlN) has broad application prospects in the deep ultraviolet (UVC) field. AlN have unparalleled advantages in the fabrication of nanodevices, making the future of aluminum nitride whiskers bright. The combination of deep-UV selectivity and low-voltage operation makes AlN nanowires the best candidate for developing compact deep-UV photodetectors. In this article, a high-efficiency, eco-friendly AlN whisker preparation technique is introduced on (0001) sapphire substrate without metal catalysts. The as-obtained AlN whiskers have hexagonal wurtzite structure and zigzag morphology, the diameter can reach below 1–10 μm（μm）, and the lengths are tens of microns. The AlN whiskers grows along the [100] direction, but the crystal orientation of growth can be changed by adjusting the V/III ratio. The possible growth mechanism of AlN whiskers is described in the report. Highlights: A high-efficiency, green AlN whisker preparation technique is introduced on (0001) sapphire substrate without metal catalysts. The as-obtained AlN whiskers have hexagonal wurtzite structure and zigzag morphology, the diameter can reach below 1–10 μm（um）, and the lengths are tens of microns. The possible growth mechanism of AlN whiskers is described in the report.