Project finished

The OxyGaN project finished on 31.08.2023. It was a great adventure concerning the technology of oxide ohmic contacts for GaN-based laser diodes. We started with the ambition to provide simplified processing of GaN LDs by developing a technology of single-type oxide electrode forming contacts to both sides of the LD, i.e. the top p-type Ga-face GaN and the bottom n-type N-face GaN. To achieve this, bothe the engineering of the oxide and the interface between the oxide ang the nitride had to be undertaken. By doing the work planned in the project, we were able to achieve the following:

  • developing better than state-of-the-art AZO films deposited at room temperature with record low resistivities. Room temperature deposition enables lift-off patterning;
  • understanding the process of AZO band gap engineering by adding Mg using different sources: Mg and AZO targets as well as a single compound target;
  • developing efficient p-type ohmic contact through ultrathin interlayer insertion at the interface, although the exact mechanism of contact formation is still puzzling;
  • developing good ohmic contacts to n-type N-face GaN by interface processing and interlayer insertion;
  • fabricating a fully packaged demonstrator diode at TRL 6 with all oxide contacts, the performance of which is better than reference diodes with classical metallic contacts, in terms of contact resistivity, threshold voltage, current stability after lifetime testing as well as lower degradation after 100 hours at constant optical power.

These achievements are the result of hours of hard work and scientific cooperation within the consortium. Standing collaboration has been established between the partners for future work in the area of nitride semiconductors. The results of the work have been presented over 25 times at national and international conferences and two patent applications were prepared. The strict shedule of the project left not much time for publications, so while two have been published, others are still waiting for final touches. What follows is a list of them, which will be updated in the future.

With thanks to our funding agencies and everyone responsible for the success of this project,

Michał Borysiewicz, OxyGaN coordinator,
Łukasiewicz Research Network – Institute of Microelectronics and Photonics

OxyGaN publications

  1. A. Wójcicka, Z. Fogarassy, A. Rácz, T. Kravchuk, G. Sobczak, M.A. Borysiewicz, „Multifactorial investigations of the deposition process – material property relationships of ZnO:Al thin films deposited by magnetron sputtering in pulsed DC, DC and RF modes using different targets for low resistance highly transparent films on unheated substrates”, Vacuum, 203 (2022) 111299 doi.org/10.1016/j.vacuum.2022.111299
  2. Z. Fogarassy, A. Wojcicka, I. Cora, A.S. Racz, S. Grzanka, E. Dodony, P. Perlin, M.A. Borysiewicz, „Structural and electrical investigation of Al/Ti/TiN/Au based N-face n-GaN contact stack”, Materials Science in Semiconductor Processing, 175 (2024) 108250 doi.org/10.1016/j.mssp.2024.108250

Project public reports

2023 Dissemination of results

The final year of the project saw good dissemination activity with the following presentations given:

  1. Oral presentation: P. Wiśniewski “Quantum gravimetry” –  VIIth IWC PAN Winter Workshop –  KALATÓWKI, Zakopane, Polska, 26-31 March 2023,
  2. Oral presentation: I. Levchenko “Mono or multilayer palladium contacts to p-GaN” –  VIIth IWC PAN Winter Workshop –  KALATÓWKI, Zakopane, Polska, 26-31 March 2023.
  3. Invited talk: A. Wójcicka, Z. Fogarassy, A. Rácz, E. Dodony, T. Kravchuk, C. Saguy, E. Kamińska, P. Perlin, I. Levchenko, S. Grzanka and M.A. Borysiewicz, „Controlling the band gap and transport properties of sputter-deposited AZO thin films by alloying with Mg – solutions for optoelectronic devices”, 1st Croatian Ceramic Society International Conference, 26–29.04.2023, Dubrovnik, Croatia
  4. Oral presentation: S. Grzanka, A. Wójcicka, E. Kamińska, I. Levchenko, Ł. Marona, A. Kafar, P. Perlin, M. A. Borysiewicz and TopGaN Processing Team „AZO as a contact layer for InGaN laser diodes” –  VIIth IWC PAN Winter Workshop –  KALATÓWKI, Zakopane, Polska, 26-31 March 2023,
  5. Oral presentation: S. Grzanka, E. Kamińska, A. Wójcicka, M. A. Borysiewicz, P. Perlin “Performance of oxide-based versus to metal-based contacts for InGaN laser diodes” – 14th International Conference on Nitride Semiconductors (ICNS-14) Fukuoka, Japan, November 12-17, 2023
  6. Seminar: M.A. Borysiewicz, ” ZnO:Al as a contact electrode for GaN-based laser diodes” – Solid State Physics Seminar, Faculty of Physics, University of Warsaw, 12.01.2024

Additional information about other activities in the project can be found in the 2022/2023 newsletter.

2022 Dissemination of results

2022 saw much more mobility and conference participation than 2021! The participants in project gave 13 presentations on the results of OxyGaN at international conferences and workshops. Particularly worth mentioning are Szymon Grzanka’s oral presentations at the International Workshop on Nitride Semiconductors in Berlin (below)

and Aleksandra Wójcicka’s oral presentations at the Materials Research Society’s Fall Meeting in Boston (below) and at the European MRS Fall Meeting in Warsaw. The acceptance of the abstracts for oral presentations at these conferences underlines the high quality of the obtained results. 

The full list of OxyGaN conference presentations in 2022 is as follows:

  1. Poster presentation: Wójcicka A., Fogarassy Z., Racz A., Dodony E., Kravchuk T., Borysiewicz M.: “Towards the Growth of UV-Transparent Conducting ZnMgO:Al Thin Films with Controllable Band-Gap Using Different Sputter Sources”, 50th International School & Conference on the Physics of Semiconductors Jaszowiec 2022 (JASZ2022), Szczyrk 04-10.06.2022
  2. Poster presentation: Wójcicka A., Fogarassy Z., Kravchuk T., Kamińska E., Perlin P., Grzanka S., Borysiewicz M.: “Metal-GaN Junction Engineering for the Control of the Current-Voltage Characteristics of the Contacts”, 50th International School & Conference on the Physics of Semiconductors Jaszowiec 2022 (JASZ2022), Szczyrk 04-10.06.2022
  3. Oral presentation: Wójcicka A., Fogarassy Z., Kravchuk T., Saguy C., Kamińska E., Perlin P., Grzanka S., Borysiewicz M.: “ZnO:Al with Ultrathin Subcontact Layers as Contacts to p-type GaN for High-Efficiency Blue LDs”, 9th Workshop on Physics and Technology of Semiconductor Lasers 2022 (PTSL2022), Cracow 02-06.10.2022
  4. Oral presentation: Schavion D., “Ge doping for strain-free cladding layers in InGaN/GaN lasers”, 9th Workshop on Physics and Technology of Semiconductor Lasers 2022 (PTSL2022), Cracow 02-06.10.2022
  5. Poster presentation: Fogarassy Z., Labar J., Wójcicka A., Kravchuk T., Kamińska E., Perlin P., Grzanka S., Borysiewicz M.: “TEM Structural Characterization of AZO Layers Deposited by Sputtering on Ga and N Polar Substrates”, European Materials Research Society Fall Meeting and Exhibit (EMRS2022), Warsaw 19-22.09.2022
  6. Poster presentation: Wójcicka A., Fogarassy Z., Racz A., Dodony E., Kravchuk T., Borysiewicz M.: “Sputter Deposition of ZnxMg1-xO:Al Conducting Thin Films with Controllable Band-Gap and Transparency”, European Materials Research Society Fall Meeting and Exhibit (EMRS2022), Warsaw 19-22.09.2022
  7. Poster presentation: Taube A., Borysiewicz M., Sadowski O., Wójcicka A., Tarenko J. , Wzorek M.: “Development of All-Oxide Transparent Vertical ITO and AZO b-Ga2O3 Schottky Diodes”, European Materials Research Society Fall Meeting and Exhibit (EMRS2022), Warsaw 19-22.09.2022
  8. Oral presentation: Wójcicka A., Fogarassy Z., Kravchuk T., Saguy C., Kamińska E., Perlin P., Grzanka S., Borysiewicz M.: “Strategies for Interface Modification of n-type N-face GaN and p-type Ga-face GaN to Obtain Transparent Ohmic Contact Using ZnO:Al for Blue to Violet LDs”, European Materials Research Society Fall Meeting and Exhibit (EMRS2022), Warsaw 19-22.09.2022
  9. Oral presentation: S. Grzanka, E. Kamińska, I. Levchenko, J. Smalc-Koziorowska, P. Perlin, A. Wójcicka, M.A. Borysiewicz, InGaN laser diodes with ZnO – Al-based contact layers, International Workshop on Nitride Semiconductors, Berlin 9-14.10.2022
  10. Poster presentation: Levchenko I., “ Interface state effect on the properties of a Pd-based contact on p-GaN”, International Workshop on Nitride Semiconductors, Berlin 9-14.10.2022
  11. Poster presentation: Wójcicka A., Grzanka S., Fogarassy Z., Racz A., Dodony E., Kravchuk T., Levchenko I., Kamińska E., Perlin P., Borysiewicz M.: “Testing Sputter Deposited ZnxMg1-xO:Al Conducting Thin Films in LD Structures as p-GaN Ohmic Contacts and Cladding Layers”, Materials Research Society Fall Meeting (MRSFM22), Boston 27.11-02.12.2022
  12. Oral presentation: Wójcicka A., Fogarassy Z., Kravchuk T., Saguy C., Kamińska E., Perlin P., Grzanka S., Borysiewicz M.: “Transparent Ohmic Contacts to p-GaN by AZO with Subcontact Layers”, Materials Research Society Fall Meeting (MRSFM22), Boston 27.11-02.12.2022
  13. Oral presentation: Wójcicka A., Fogarassy Z., Racz A., Kravchuk T., Borysiewicz M.: „Complex studies of room temperature magnetron sputtering growth of ZnO:Al thin films”, Conference on Reactive Sputter Deposition (RSD 22), online 7-9.12.2022

More information about main activities in the project can be found in the Newsletter for year 2021/2022 below

The OxyGaN workshop has ended

The workshop that was organized by the Centre for Energy Research, Institute of Technical Physics and Materials Science in Budapest Hungary. There were over 15 participants in person and a similar number online. A very packed full day of presentations gave the participants overview of some of the most exciting developments in gallium nitride and gallium oxide technologies. Intensive discussions took place after every presentation and ideas for new research activities also emerged.

Thanks to everyone who participated!

The next day, the first in-person OxyGaN project meeting took place. The team discussed the results of the first 1.5 years of project realization and possible pathways for further work. It was invaluable to finally be able to meet and discuss in-person, which proved to be significantly more efficient than meeting online, as was the case up until now.

OxyGaN Workshop 2022 programme


The programme of the OxyGaN workshop is now finalized! We have a selection of great experts representing the various aspects of wide band gap material-based electronics and photonics. We encourage to take part either in-person or online! The event will take place on 27th may 2022 at the Centre for Energy Research, Institute of Technical Physics and Materials Science, 1121 Budapest (Hungary), Konkoly Thege Miklós út 29-33. (Building 26). The presentations will be streamted online, to obtain the Zoom link, please contact Zsolt Fogarassy (fogarassy.zsolt at ek-cer.hu).

9:00 – 9:40 Béla Pécz (EK-MFA) – opening

9:40 – 10:15 Michał Borysiewicz (Łukasiewicz-IMIF) – Ohmic contact formation to wide band gap materials)

10:15 – 10:50 Tatyana Kravchuk (Technion) – Implementation of TOF-SIMS for investigation of microelectronic processes

10:50 – 11:05 coffee break

11:05 – 11:40 Piotr Perlin (Unipress) – Nitrides semiconductors for optoelectronic applications: chances and challenges

11:40 – 12:15 Szymon Grzanka (TopGaN) – Lasers for quantum applications

12:15 – 13:00 cold lunch

13:00 – 14:00 Laboratory visit

14:00 – 14:35 Zsolt Fogarassy (EK-MFA) (I. Cora, Zs. Fogarassy, R. Fornari, M. Bosi, A. Rečnik, B. Pécz) – In situ TEM study of κ → β and κ → γ phase transformations in Ga2O3

14:35 – 15:10 Matteo Bosi (IMEM) (M. Bosi, P. Mazzolini, F. Mezzadri, L. Seravalli, Z. Fogarassy, I. Cora, B. Pecz and R. Fornari) – Thermodynamic and kinetic effects on nucleation and growth of ε(κ) or β-Ga2O3 by MOVPE on different substrates (online)

15:10 – 15:20 coffee break

15:20 – 15:55 Andrzej Taube (Łukasiewicz-IMIF) (A. Taube, M. Borysiewicz, O. Sadowski, A. Wójcicka, J. Tarenko, K. Piskorski, M. Wzorek) – Vertical Schottky and heterojunction diodes on β-Ga2O3

15:55 – 16:30 Filippo Giannazzo (IMM) – Interface properties and electronic transport in 2D materials heterojunctions with GaN and SiC (online)

OxyGaN workshop

As part of the m-era.net co-financed OxyGaN project, the Centre for Energy Research of the Institute for Technical Physics and Materials Science in Budapest will organize a one-day workshop on the technology of wide band gap materials for laser diodes and related applications. The talks will include a selection of the experts from the project consortium along with invited external Guests. Please check this spot for a list of speakers and additional information.

The workshop will take place on 27. May 2022 in the beautiful city of Budapest, Hungary, at the Centre for Energy Research, Institute of Technical Physics and Materials Science, 1121 Budapest, Hungary, Konkoly Thege Miklós út 29-33.

We cordially invite you to book the date and consider joining us in person. In case that would prove impossible, the presentations will be recorded and put up on the Internet for access for all interested.

2021 Dissemination of results

2021 was a tough year in terms of conference participation with most of the meetings being postponed or cancelled altogether. The OxyGaN team also had to postpone the participation in the International Conference on Reactive Sputter Deposition 2021, but have successfully participated in several on-line or in person meetings including:

  • Aleksandra Wójcicka, Ildikó Cora, János Lábár, Zsolt Fogarassy, Adél Rácz, Tatyana Kravchuk, and Michał A. Borysiewicz, “Multifactorial investiga-tions of the deposition process – material property relationships of ZnO:Al thin films deposited by magnetron sputtering in DC, pulsed DC and RF modes using different targets“ at the 49th International School & Conference on the Physics of Semiconductors “Jaszowiec 2021” (on-line)
  • Tatyana Kravchuk, Aleksandra Wójcicka, Zsolt Fogarassy, Adél Rácz, János Lábár, Ildikó Cora, and Michał A. Borysiewicz, “Understanding the room-temperature growth and deposition process of the transparent conducting ox-ide ZnO:Al thin films” at the 19th Israel Materials Engineering Conference (IMEC 2021)

Additionally, selected results were included in the following seminar

  • Zsolt Fogarassy, Ildikó Cora, Csaba Dücső, Béla Pécz, Aleksandra Wójcicka, Michał A. Borysiewicz, Péter Németh, “Nanoszerkezetű 1-, 2-, 3-dimenziós anyagok (pásztázó) transzmissziós elektron-mikroszkópiája ((S)TEM)” given at 19.10.2021 at the Seminar of the Vacuum Physics, Technology and Applications Group of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences and the Scientific Committee for Electronic Devices and Technologies of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences

Project start

The objective of the OxyGaN (‘Efficiency enhancement in GaN-based blue to blue-violet LDs by engineered nitride-oxide ohmic contacts’) project is to increase the efficiency of GaN blue to blue-violet laser diodes by introducing a novel contact scheme utilizing a bandgap-engineered transparent conducting oxide, ZnMgO:Al with contact interface engineering. Overcoming the standing issues related to contact formation to vertical GaN-based opto/electronic devices, contact structures will be developed, raising the device efficiency by forming stable ohmic contacts to both n- and p-type surfaces, acting as both the metallization and waveguide for p-GaN, fabricated using means taking into account a simplified process integration and resource management. The technology steps developed in the project will be finally integrated in a packaged laser diode demonstrator and the technology will be prepared for implementation on the production line of one of the partners, enabling resource-sustainable, more energy-efficient diodes for automotive, display, welding and patterning industries at lowered costs.

The project is realized by a multinational consortium of:

The project is jointly funded by the Polish National Centre For Research and Development (NCBR), Hungarian National Research, Development and Innovation Office (NKFIH) and Israel Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST) in the frames of the m-era.net framework (call 2019).

The OxyGaN project started on Sep. 01 2020 an will take place until Aug. 31 2023.

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