Nucleation layer deposition method

A method for depositing a nucleation layer (3) comprised of group III and V elements directly onto a surface (2) of a substrate (1) made of a group IV element, the method comprising:

• introducing a first gaseous starting material containing a group III element together with a second gaseous starting material containing a group V element into a process chamber (8) containing the substrate (1) at a process temperature greater than 500° C.;
• at least at a start of the deposition of the nucleation layer (3), feeding a third gaseous starting material containing a group IV element into the process chamber (8) together with the first and second gaseous starting materials;
• and
• depositing a buffer layer (4) on the nucleation layer (3) and depositing an active layer (6) on the buffer layer (4) in such manner that a two-dimensional electron gas develops on a boundary surface (5) between the active layer (6) and the buffer layer (4),
• wherein a partial pressure and/or mass flow of the third gaseous starting material in the process chamber (8) is chosen so as to result in a dopant concentration between 1×1017 and 1×1018 cm−3, and a decrease in high-frequency damping.