Comparative Analysis of Production Processes for GaN Materials in Semiconductor Wafer Fabrication

Abstract

GaN, as the core material of third-generation semiconductors, possesses a band gap width of 3.4 eV, an electron mobility of 2000 cm²/Vs, and excellent thermal conductivity and heat resistance. It is crucial for the development of power electronic devices; however, its industrialization process is constrained by epitaxial processes, with the current mainstream ones being MOCVD, MBE, and HVPE. This paper mainly elaborates on the theoretical foundations of these three processes, compares production difficulty and production costs, and studies the analysis results of the crystalline, electrical, and optical properties of the produced GaN. The results show that MOCVD balances performance and production capacity, making it suitable for mid-to-high-end LEDs and high-power devices, but suffers from low raw material utilization rate and risk of carbon contamination; MBE has the advantage of atomic-level control and optimal performance, and is suitable for devices with complex structures, yet is limited by high cost and low production capacity; HVPE features low cost and high production capacity, which fits large-size substrates and general lighting LEDs.