Simulation Study on the Effect of Growth Pressure on Growth Rate of GaN.

Abstract

During the preparation of gallium nitride (GaN) single crystals by Hydride Vapor Phase Epitaxy (HVPE), variations in growth pressure within the reaction chamber can easily lead to a mismatch between vapor transport dynamics and surface reaction processes, thereby affecting crystal growth rate and uniformity. To address this issue, this study established a multi-physics coupled simulation model based on the HVPE equipment structure. By integrating reaction gas flow, heat transfer, chemical reactions, and mass transport mechanisms, systematic finite element analysis was employed to simulate the flow field distribution, thermal field stability, and precursor concentration field evolution within the reaction chamber under different growth pressures (91-141 kPa). The simulation results indicate that, on one hand, the growth rate exhibits a nearly linear increase trend with rising pressure. At lower pressures (<100 kPa), vapor transport is limited, leading to a significant decrease in growth rate, while at higher pressures (>110 kPa), growth uniformity deteriorates. Optimizing the pressure parameter can enhance both the growth rate and thickness uniformity of GaN single crystals, providing a basis for process control in the preparation of high-performance GaN devices.