Microstructral Investigations on GaN Films Grown by Laser Induced Molecular Beam Epitaxy

1999 ◽  
Vol 595 ◽  
Author(s):  
H. Zhou ◽  
F. Phillipp ◽  
M. Gross ◽  
H. Schröder

AbstractMicrostructural investigations on GaN films grown on SiC and sapphire substrates by laser induced molecular beam epitaxy have been performed. Threading dislocations with Burgers vectors of 1/3<1120>, 1/3<1123> and [0001] are typical line defects, predominantly the first type of dislocations. Their densities are typically 1.5×1010 cm−2 and 4×109 cm−2 on SiC and sapphire, respectively. Additionally, planar defects characterized as inversion domain boundaries lying on {1100} planes have been observed in GaN/sapphire samples with an inversion domain density of 4×109 cm−2. The inversion domains are of Ga-polarity with respect to the N-polarity of the adjacent matrix. However, GaN layers grown on SiC show Ga-polarity. Possible reasons for the different morphologies and structures of the films grown on different substrates are discussed. Based on an analysis of displacement fringes of inversion domains, an atomic model of the IDB-II with Ga-N bonds across the boundary was deduced. High resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) observations and the corresponding simulations confirmed the IDB-II structure determined by the analysis of displacement fringes.

2001 ◽  
Vol 16 (1) ◽  
pp. 261-267 ◽  
Author(s):  
H. Zhou ◽  
A. Rühm ◽  
N. Y. Jin-Phillipp ◽  
F. Phillipp ◽  
M. Gross ◽  
...  

GaN grown on sapphire (α–Al2O3) was characterized by laser-induced molecular beam epitaxy. Threading dislocations with Burgers vectors of 1/3〈1120〉, 1/3〈1123〉 and [0001] were observed with a predominance of the first type. Additionally, inversion domains with Ga-polarity existed with respect to the adjacent matrix, which was of N-polarity. The dislocation densities and coherence lengths were deduced from x-ray diffraction and found to be in accordance with those measured by transmission electron microscopy. Both displacement fringe contrast analysis and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy results indicated that the inversion domain boundaries had Ga–N bonds between domains and the adjacent matrix.


2008 ◽  
Vol 1068 ◽  
Author(s):  
Adam Adikimenakis ◽  
Suman-Lata Sahonta ◽  
George Dimitrakopulos ◽  
Jaroslav Domagala ◽  
Philomela Komninou ◽  
...  

ABSTRACTThe insertion of an AlN interlayer for tensile strain relief in GaN thin films grown on Si (111) on-axis and vicinal substrates by nitrogen rf plasma source molecular beam epitaxy has been investigated. The 15 nm AlN interlayer was inserted between the bottom 0.5 micron GaN layer and the top 1.0 micron GaN layer. The interlayer was very effective to reduce the tensile stress in the overall 1.5 micron GaN/Si film to the level required for complete avoidance of microcracks, which were present in high densities in GaN/Si heterostructures grown without an AlN interlayer. The strain of the AlN interlayer, as well as the strain in all the layers of the entire GaN/Si heterostructure was analyzed by x-ray diffraction (XRD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) measurements. Reciprocal space map in XRD indicated that the 15 nm AlN interlayer was coherently strained with the GaN films. However TEM observations revealed that the AlN interlayer was partially relaxed in local regions. The AlN interlayer was also observed to interfere with the GaN growth process. In particular, above morphological features such as V-defects, GaN was overgrown with a large density of threading dislocations and inversion domain boundaries.


1996 ◽  
Vol 449 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. T. Romano ◽  
J.E. Northrup

ABSTRACTInversion domain boundaries (IDBs) in GaN grown on sapphire (0001) were studied by a combination of high resolution transmission electron microscopy, multiple dark field imaging, and convergent beam diffraction. Films grown by molecular beam epitaxy (MBE), metalorganic vapor deposition (MOCVD), and hydride vapor phase epitaxy (HVPE) were investigated and all found to contain IDBs. Inversion domains (IDs) that extended from the surface to the interface were found to be columnar with facets on the {10–10} and {11–20} planes. Other domains ended within the film that formed IDBs on the (0001) and {1–102} planes. The domains were found to grow in clusters and connect at points along the boundary.


2000 ◽  
Vol 618 ◽  
Author(s):  
V. Narayanan ◽  
S. Mahajan ◽  
K. J. Bachmann ◽  
V. Woods ◽  
N. Dietz

ABSTRACTGaP islands grown on selected surfaces of Si and their coalescence behavior have been investigated by transmission electron microscopy. These layers were grown by chemical beam epitaxy. A number of significant observations emerge from this study. First, planar defect formation has been shown to be related to stacking errors on the smaller P-terminated {111} facets of GaP islands. Amongst the four orientations, (111) epilayers have a higher density of stacking faults and first order twins because of more P-terminated {111} facets per island. Second, multiple twinning on exposed {111} facets can produce tilt boundaries and irregular growths when islands coalesce. Third, inversion domain boundaries lying on {110} planes have been shown to form during GaP island coalescence across monatomic steps on (001) Si. Image simulations have been performed to show that these boundaries can be seen in high resolution lattice images and the observed contrast is attributed to the presence of wrong Ga-Ga and P-P bonds at the inversion boundary.


2011 ◽  
Vol 1324 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mei-Chun Liu ◽  
Yuh-Jen Cheng ◽  
Jet-Rung Chang ◽  
Chun-Yen Chang

ABSTRACTWe report the fabrication of GaN lateral polarity inversion heterostructure with self assembled crystalline inversion domain boundaries (IDBs). The sample was fabricated by two step molecular-beam epitaxy (MBE) with microlithography patterning in between to define IDBs. Despite the use of circular pattern, hexagonal crystalline IDBs were self assembled from the circular pattern during the second MBE growth. Both cathodoluminescent (CL) and photoluminescent (PL) measurements show a significant enhanced emission at IDBs and in particular at hexagonal corners. The ability to fabricate self assembled crystalline IDBs and its enhanced emission property can be useful in optoelectronic applications.


2001 ◽  
Vol 693 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. A. Reshchikov ◽  
D. Huang ◽  
F. Yun ◽  
P. Visconti ◽  
T. King ◽  
...  

AbstractWe compared photoluminescence (PL) and cross-sectional transmission electron microscopy (TEM) characteristics of GaN samples with Ga and N polarities grown by molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) on sapphire substrates. Ga-polar films grown at low temperature typically have very smooth surfaces, which are extremely difficult to etch with acids or bases. In contrast, the N-polar films have rougher surfaces and can be easily etched in hot H3PO4 or KOH. The quality of the X-ray diffraction spectra is also much better in case of Ga-polar films. Surprisingly, PL efficiency is always much higher in the N-polar GaN, yet the features and shape of the PL spectra are comparable for both polarities. We concluded that, despite the excellent quality of the surface, MBE-grown Ga-polar GaN layers contain higher concentration of nonradiative defects. From the analyses of cross-sectional TEM investigations, we have found that Ga-polar films have high density of threading dislocations (5x109 cm-2) and low density of inversion domains (1x107 cm-2). For N-polar GaN the situation is the reverse: the density of dislocations and inversion domains are 5x108 and ~1x1011 cm-2, respectively. One of the important conclusions derived from the combined PL and TEM study is that inversion domains do not seem to affect the radiative efficiency very adversly, whereas dislocations reduce it significantly.


1989 ◽  
Vol 159 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. T. Tung ◽  
F. Schrey ◽  
D. J. Eaglesham

ABSTRACTLine defects at the interfaces of epitaxial silicide layers grown at room temperature on Si(111) are found to correspond to steps on the original surface. This has enabled the examination, by transmission electron microscopy, of the topography of large areas of the Si surface after various treatments. Methods for removal of surface oxide and carbide are compared. Silicon molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) is shown to occur via step-flow mechanism at high temperatures, and through nucleation and growth of islands on terraces at low temperatures.


1988 ◽  
Vol 116 ◽  
Author(s):  
D.J. Eaglesham ◽  
M. Aindow ◽  
R.C. Pond

AbstractA Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) study is presented of GaAs on Si (100) and CdTe on GaAs (100), and the implications for defect nucleation mechanisms are discussed. MOCVD GaAs/Si is shown to grow by island nucleation followed by 3D growth. Single islands are free of inversion domain boundaries (or “APBs”) implying that a single domain is able to grow over a demi-step on the substrate surface during this 3D growth. Misfit dislocations are shown to be edge type during island growth, with 60° type being generated at island junctions. The predominant threading dislocations are found to have inclined a/2 <110> Burgers vectors. The implied mechanisms for the generation of both misfit and threading dislocations are discussed. In MOCVD CdTe/GaAs the microstructure is shown to have a number of qualitatively similar features; in addition, study of this much larger misfit system allows us to deduce a possible explanation for misorientation effects in these systems.


1989 ◽  
Vol 167 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alistair D. Westwood ◽  
Michael R. Notis

AbstractThe microstructure and microchemistry of planar and curved defects in Aluminum Nitride (AIN) has been investigated using Conventional Transmission Electron Microscopy (CTEM), Convergent Beam Electron Diffraction (CBED), and Analytical Electron Microscopy (AEM) techniques. Both defect morphologies were identified as Inversion Domain Boundaries (IDB). Microchemical analysis revealed oxygen segregation to the planar faults; when present on the curved defects, oxygen was at a lower concentration than in the planar defect case. Annealing experiments on defect containing AIN support our microchemical analysis of oxygen segregation. A proposed model for the formation of these two types of boundaries is presented.


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