Effect of Laser Pulse Width on the Laser Lift-off Process of GaN Films

Laser lift-off (LLO), by which GaN is separated from sapphire, is demonstrated to be a promising technique for advanced GaN-based optoelectronic devices. Its physical insight, however, is still not fully understood. We study systematically the effect of laser pulse width on the LLO process and the property of GaN. To estimate accurately the temperature distribution and the decomposed thickness of GaN, fluctuation in the pulse laser energy is taken into account. It is found that the temperature at the interface is increased in a higher speed for a narrower pulse width. In addition, less damage to the GaN film is expected for a narrower pulse width owing to the smaller heated area, lower transient temperature and lower N₂ vapor pressure encountered during LLO. Some experimental results reported in literature are explained well. Our results are useful in understanding the effect of laser pulse width and can be taken as references in LLO of GaN/sapphire structures.