Amorphous carbon buffer layers for separating free gallium nitride films

The possibility of using amorphous diamond-like carbon (DLC) films for self-separation of gallium nitride (GaN) layers grown by hydride vapor-phase epitaxy has been analyzed. DLC films have been synthesized by plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition under low pressure on sapphire (Al$_{2}$O$_{3}$) substrates with a (0001) crystallographic orientation. The samples have been studied by the methods of Raman scattering and X-ray diffraction analysis. It is shown that thin DLC films affect only slightly the processes of nucleation and growth of gallium nitride films. Notably, the strength of the "GaN film–Al$_{2}$O$_{3}$" substrate interface decreases, which facilitates separation of the GaN layers.