Anisotropic Surface Roughness in Strain Relaxed In0.40GA0.60As on Gaas with a Step-Graded InxGA1-xAs Buffer Layer

1993 ◽  
Vol 312 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. C. P. Chang ◽  
B. K. Kad ◽  
S. R. Nutt ◽  
K. L. Kavanagh

AbstractWe report the structural characterization of the 3-D relaxation morphology of In0.4Ga0.6As grown on a step-graded InxGa1-xAs buffer layer on GaAs. Scanning electron microscopy showed “grooves” spaced on the order of microns running only in the [110] direction. Each groove was observed with cross-sectional transmission electron microscopy to mark the location of a vertical low-angle tilt and/or twist boundary. The veiy rough layer morphology may be the result of island coalescence or severe surface roughness that created the grain boudnaries as the layer grew. Strain relaxation in the In0.4Ga0.6As layer was much reduced in the [101] in-plane direction. The asymmetry in residual in-plane strains in the In0.3Ga0.7AS layer and/or the increased In composition may be responsible for the development of an anisotropic surface roughness. X-ray microanalysis revealed a periodic variation in layer composition which correlated with a fine contrast modulation presumably the result of phase segregation.

1990 ◽  
Vol 216 ◽  
Author(s):  
S.G. Lawson-Jack ◽  
I.P. Jones ◽  
D.J. Williams ◽  
M.G. Astles

ABSTRACTTransmission electron microscopy has been used to assess the defect contents of the various layers and interfaces in (CdHg) Te heterostructures. Examination of cross sectional specimens of these materials suggests that the density of misfit dislocations at the interfaces is related to the layer thicknesses, and that the high density of dislocations which are generated at the GaAs/CdTe interface are effectively prevented from penetrating into the CdHgTe epilayer by a 3um thick buffer layer. The majority of the dislocations in the layers were found to have a Burgers vector b = a/2<110> and either lie approximately parallel or inclined at an angle of ∼ 60° to the interfacial plane.


2016 ◽  
Vol 675-676 ◽  
pp. 639-642
Author(s):  
Pornsiri Wanarattikan ◽  
Sakuntam Sanorpim ◽  
Somyod Denchitcharoen ◽  
Visittapong Yordsri ◽  
Chanchana Thanachayanont ◽  
...  

InGaAsN on Ge (001) is proposed to be a part of the InGaP(N)/InGaAs/InGaAsN/Ge four-junction solar cell to increase a conversion efficiency over 40%. In this work, InGaAsN lattice-matched film and GaAs buffer layer grown on Ge (001) substrate by metal organic vapor phase epitaxy (MOVPE) were examined by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Electron diffraction pattern of InGaAsN taken along the [110]-zone axis illustrates single diffracted spots, which represent a layer with a uniformity of alloy composition. Cross-sectional bright field TEM image showed line contrasts generated at the GaAs/Ge interface and propagated to the InGaAsN layer. Dark field TEM images of the same area showed the presence of boundary-like planar defects lying parallel to the growth direction in the InGaAsN film and GaAs buffer layer but not in the Ge substrate. TEM images with the (002) and (00-2) reflections and the four visible {111} planes reflections illustrated planar defects which are expected to attribute to antiphase boundaries (APBs). Moreover, the results observed from atomic force microscopy (AFM) and field emission electron microscopy (FE-SEM) demonstrated the surface morphology of InGaAsN film with submicron-sized domains, which is a characteristic of the APBs.


1987 ◽  
Vol 104 ◽  
Author(s):  
E. A. Fitzgerald ◽  
P. D. Kirchner ◽  
G. D. Petit ◽  
J. M. Woodall ◽  
D. G. Ast

ABSTRACTThe defect structure of lattice-mismatched one micron In0.12 Ga0.88As epilayers on (001) GaAs was studied with scanning cathodoluminescence (CL) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). CL examination of the GaAs buffer layer revealed the formation of a segmented network of defects below the interface. Cross-sectional TEM analysis shows that these defects are dislocation half-loops extending from the interface, and the vast majority of these loops lie on the GaAs side of the interface. The dislocations in the GaAs buffer layer were determined to be edge dislocations. Thus, CL images show that edge dislocations in this system are centers for non-radiative recombination. We propose that two 60° dislocations with opposite screw and interface tilt components can glide into the buffer layer to form edge dislocations. Potential energy plots for 60° dislocations near the interface and interacting with interface dislocations supports this model.


1994 ◽  
Vol 28 (1-3) ◽  
pp. 497-501 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. González ◽  
D. Araújo ◽  
S.I. Molina ◽  
A. Sacedón ◽  
E. Calleja ◽  
...  

2014 ◽  
Vol 20 (5) ◽  
pp. 1471-1478 ◽  
Author(s):  
Esperanza Luna ◽  
Javier Grandal ◽  
Eva Gallardo ◽  
José M. Calleja ◽  
Miguel Á. Sánchez-García ◽  
...  

AbstractWe discuss observations of InN nanowires (NWs) by plan-view high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The main difficulties arise from suitable methods available for plan-view specimen preparation. We explore different approaches and find that the best results are obtained using a refined preparation method based on the conventional procedure for plan-view TEM of thin films, specifically modified for the NW morphology. The fundamental aspects of such a preparation are the initial mechanical stabilization of the NWs and the minimization of the ion-milling process after dimpling the samples until perforation. The combined analysis by plan-view and cross-sectional TEM of the NWs allows determination of the degree of strain relaxation and reveals the formation of an unintentional shell layer (2–3-nm thick) around the InN NWs. The shell layer is composed of bcc In2O3 nanocrystals with a preferred orientation with respect to the wurtzite InN: In2O3 [111] || InN [0001] and In2O3 <110> || InN< $$ 11\bar 20 $$ >.


Author(s):  
D. L. Callahan ◽  
Z. Ball ◽  
H. M. Phillips ◽  
R. Sauerbrey

Ultraviolet laser-irradiation can be used to induce an insulator-to-conductor phase transition on the surface of Kapton polyimide. Such structures have potential applications as resistors or conductors for VLSI applications as well as general utility electrodes. Although the percolative nature of the phase transformation has been well-established, there has been little definitive work on the mechanism or extent of transformation. In particular, there has been considerable debate about whether or not the transition is primarily photothermal in nature, as we propose, or photochemical. In this study, cross-sectional optical microscopy and transmission electron microscopy are utilized to characterize the nature of microstructural changes associated with the laser-induced pyrolysis of polyimide.Laser-modified polyimide samples initially 12 μm thick were prepared in cross-section by standard ultramicrotomy. Resulting contraction in parallel to the film surface has led to distortions in apparent magnification. The scale bars shown are calibrated for the direction normal to the film surface only.


Author(s):  
F. Shaapur

Non-uniform ion-thinning of heterogenous material structures has constituted a fundamental difficulty in preparation of specimens for transmission electron microscopy (TEM). A variety of corrective procedures have been developed and reported for reducing or eliminating the effect. Some of these techniques are applicable to any non-homogeneous material system and others only to unidirectionalfy heterogeneous samples. Recently, a procedure of the latter type has been developed which is mainly based on a new motion profile for the specimen rotation during ion-milling. This motion profile consists of reversing partial revolutions (RPR) within a fixed sector which is centered around a direction perpendicular to the specimen heterogeneity axis. The ion-milling results obtained through this technique, as studied on a number of thin film cross-sectional TEM (XTEM) specimens, have proved to be superior to those produced via other procedures.XTEM specimens from integrated circuit (IC) devices essentially form a complex unidirectional nonhomogeneous structure. The presence of a variety of mostly lateral features at different levels along the substrate surface (consisting of conductors, semiconductors, and insulators) generally cause non-uniform results if ion-thinned conventionally.


Author(s):  
Ching Shan Sung ◽  
Hsiu Ting Lee ◽  
Jian Shing Luo

Abstract Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) plays an important role in the structural analysis and characterization of materials for process evaluation and failure analysis in the integrated circuit (IC) industry as device shrinkage continues. It is well known that a high quality TEM sample is one of the keys which enables to facilitate successful TEM analysis. This paper demonstrates a few examples to show the tricks on positioning, protection deposition, sample dicing, and focused ion beam milling of the TEM sample preparation for advanced DRAMs. The micro-structures of the devices and samples architectures were observed by using cross sectional transmission electron microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and optical microscopy. Following these tricks can help readers to prepare TEM samples with higher quality and efficiency.


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