Rocking Curve Imaging Investigation of the Long-Range Distortion Field between Parallel Dislocations with Opposite Burgers Vectors

We observe a long-range distortion field between parallel dislocations with opposite Burgers vectors in a platelet-shaped single crystal of 4H-SiC with a low dislocation density (~103 cm/cm3). This distortion field is in the µradian range when the distance D between dislocations is in the ~50–250 µm range. We were able to characterise this weak distortion field through Rocking Curve Imaging (RCI), a highly sensitive Bragg diffraction imaging technique using monochromatic synchrotron radiation. From the experimental images, we generate maps of the angle of maximum reflectance (“peak position”) that provide a measurement of the local lattice orientation. Deviations from the crystal matrix orientation are associated with the long-range distortion field around dislocations. Between parallel dislocations with opposite Burgers vectors, this distortion does not decay to zero but towards a constant value α. We propose a simple model considering the angular parameter α characterising the distortion. This model indicates that α should roughly vary as 1/D. This appears to be in fair agreement with our experimental data.

YBa2Cu3O7 films grown onto SrTiO3 and YSZ substrates by chemical solution deposition of trifluoroacetates

We report the preparation and characterization of YBa2Cu3O7 (YBCO) films grown onto SrTiO3 and YSZ substrates by the trifluoroacetates chemical solution deposition method and following sintering with oxygen atmosphere at 860 °C. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) reveals (00ℓ) – oriented crystallites indicating epitaxial growth of the films in the c-direction. Despite granular morphology and the presence of Y2BaCuO5 and CuO as minor secondary phases, the technique shows the successful formation of the superconducting YBCO and preventing the formation of the unwanted BaCO3 phase. Rocking curve measurements of the (005) reflection for the YBCO/SrTiO3 was fitted with one Gaussian function with full width at the half maximum (FWHM) of 0.44° confirming that it consists of YBCO crystallites with different texture. For the sample grown on YSZ, the rocking curve was fitted with two Gaussian functions, one corresponding to the YBCO layer (FWHM = 0.4°) and another to the substrate (FWHM = 0.3°). The magnetic measurements taken in zero field cooling and field cooling modes confirm the formation of the superconducting YBCO with critical temperatures (TC) 91.8 and 85.7 K for the samples grown onto YSZ and SrTiO3, respectively. The critical current density (JC) curves indirectly calculated by using the Bean´s model from the M(T) loops were JC ~ 109 A/cm2 for the sample deposited onto YSZ and JC ~ 107A/cm2 for the YBCO deposited onto SrTiO3. Overall, the difference in TC and JC values between both samples could be related to their difference in oxygen content, porosity, hole concentration per Cu ion and the presence of secondary phases.

Dislocation contrast on X-ray topographs under weak diffraction conditions

The contrast of dislocations in 4H-SiC crystals shows distinctive features on grazing-incidence X-ray topographs for diffraction at different positions on the operative rocking curve. Ray-tracing simulations have previously been successfully applied to describe the dislocation contrast at the peak of a rocking curve.The present work shows that the dislocation images observed under weak diffraction conditions can also be simulated using the ray-tracing method. These simulations indicate that the contrast of the dislocations is dominated by orientation contrast. Analysis of the effective misorientation reveals that the dislocation contrast in weak-beam topography is more sensitive to the local lattice distortion, consequently enabling information to be obtained on the dislocation sense which cannot be obtained from the peak.

The Influence of the Preheating Temperature of the (−2 0 1) β-Ga2O3 Substrates on c-Plane GaN Epitaxial Growth

In this paper, we demonstrate the direct epitaxial growth of c-plane GaN on a preheated (−2 0 1) β-Ga2O3 single-crystal substrate with no interlayer or pre-patterning processes by using the atmospheric pressure metalorganic chemical vapor deposition method. The results show that high-temperature preheating (>500 °C) can modify the surface morphology of the substrate so that the crystalline quality of the grown GaN layer can be improved. With higher preheated temperatures, the grown GaN layer reveals smaller FWHM (full width at half-​maximum) of the X-ray rocking curve. In addition, we find that the photoluminescence spectra of the GaN layers reveal their narrowest linewidth at a preheated temperature of 800 °C. These results support improvements of crystalline quality and provide optimization of a c-GaN grown epitaxially on the preheated (−2 0 1) β-Ga2O3 substrates for further device fabrication.

X-ray rocking curve imaging on large arrays of extremely tall SiGe microcrystals epitaxial on Si

This work investigates layers of densely spaced SiGe microcrystals epitaxially formed on patterned Si and grown up to extreme heights of 40 and 100 µm using the rocking curve imaging technique with standard laboratory equipment and a 2D X-ray pixel detector. As the crystalline tilt varied both within the epitaxial SiGe layers and inside the individual microcrystals, it was possible to obtain real-space 2D maps of the local lattice bending and distortion across the complete SiGe surface. These X-ray maps, showing the variation of crystalline quality along the sample surface, were compared with optical and scanning electron microscopy images. Knowing the distribution of the X-ray diffraction peak intensity, peak position and peak width immediately yields the crystal lattice bending locally present in the samples as a result of the thermal processes arising during the growth. The results found here by a macroscopic-scale imaging technique reveal that the array of large microcrystals, which tend to fuse at a certain height, forms domains limited by cracks during cooling after the growth. The domains are characterized by uniform lattice bending and their boundaries are observed as higher distortion of the crystal structure. The effect of concave thermal lattice bending inside the microcrystal array is in excellent agreement with the results previously presented on a microscopic scale using scanning nanodiffraction.

The Investigation on Mid-Far Infrared Nonlinear Crystal AgGaGe5Se12 (AGGSe)

3–5, 8–14 μm mid-far infrared (MF-IR) coherent lights generated by nonlinear optical (NLO) crystals are crucial for many industrial and military applications. AgGaGe5Se12 (AGGSe) is a promising NLO candidate because of its good optical performance. In this paper, the large AGGSe single crystal of 35 mm diameter and 80 mm length was obtained by the seed-aided Bridgman method. The crystalline quality was characterized with X-ray diffraction, rocking curve, transmission spectrum. The FWHM of the (210) peak was about 0.05° and the IR transmission was about 60% (1–10 μm, 6 mm thick). Additionally, it performed well in 8 μm frequency doubling, with a maximum output power of about 41 mW, corresponding to an optical-to-optical conversion efficiency of 3.2%. The laser induced damage threshold (LIDT) value was about 200 MW/cm2 (1.06 μm, 20 ns, 1 Hz).

Achievement of Polarity Reversion From Al(Ga)-Polar to N-Polar For AlGaN Film on AlN Seeding Layer Grown By a Novel Flow-Modulation Technology

N-polar AlGaN epi-layer was realized on AlN seeding layer grown with a novel flow-modulation method. The polarity reversion from Al(Ga)-polar to N-polar for AlGaN/AlN films was confirmed by KOH etching and subsequent observation with optical microscope as well as high-resolution X-ray diffraction (HR-XRD) measurement. In particular, the dependence of crystalline quality and defect size in the N-polar AlGaN epi-layers on the Ⅴ/Ⅲ ratio was investigated with HR-XRD and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). It was found that as the full width at half maximum (FWHM) value of the X-ray rocking curve (XRC) varied with the Ⅴ/Ⅲ ratio in a "W-shape" for the N–polar AlGaN epi-layers, and a FWHM value as small as 450 arcsec was achieved for the sample grown with a V/III ratio of 988. Moreover, it was revealed by the SEM measurement that the maximum diagonal length of hexagonal cone on the surface of the N-polar AlGaN epi-layers decreased sharply when a Ⅴ/Ⅲ ratio of 1,236 was used although the crystalline quality and the surface morphology of the N-polar AlGaN epi-layers were not improved simultaneously. The peculiar migration of the group-III atoms on the surface of the N-polar AlGaN epi-layer associated with the molar ratio of TMA/(TMA+TMG) was considered to be responsible for this result.

X-ray diffraction by surface acoustic waves

The possibilities are presented of X-ray diffraction methods for studying the propagation of surface acoustic waves (SAWs) in solids, including diffraction under total external reflection conditions and Bragg diffraction, using acoustically modulated X-ray multilayer mirrors and crystals. SAW propagation was studied using both meridional and sagittal diffraction geometries where the SAW wavevectors and X-ray photons are collinear or perpendicular, respectively. SAW propagation in a crystal leads to sinusoidal modulation of the crystal lattice and the appearance of diffraction satellites on the rocking curve. The intensities and angular positions of these diffraction satellites are determined by the SAW wavelength, amplitude and attenuation. Therefore, diffraction methods allow the analysis of the SAW propagation process and determination of SAW parameters. The influence of X-ray energy on diffraction by acoustically modulated crystals is studied for the first time. It is shown that changes in the X-ray energy can change the angular region where diffraction satellites exist under conditions of total external reflection. By contrast, in the Bragg diffraction region changes in the X-ray photon energy lead to changes in the X-ray penetration depth into the crystal and redistribution of the diffracted intensity among diffraction satellites, but do not change the angular divergence between diffraction satellites on the rocking curve. It is also shown that, in X-ray diffraction on acoustically modulated crystals on a number of successive reflections, a decrease in interplanar spacing leads to an increase in the number of diffraction satellites and a redistribution of diffracted radiation between them.

Towards high-quality nitrogen-doped diamond single crystals for X-ray optics

In this manuscript, characterization of single-crystalline (111) plates prepared from type-Ib diamonds with a nitrogen content of 100–150 ppm by means of high-resolution rocking-curve imaging (RCI) is reported. Contrary to common opinion regarding the intrinsically poor diffraction quality of type-I diamonds, RCI showed the presence of nearly defect-free areas of several millimetres squared in the central part of the diamond plates. The observed broadening of the rocking curves is a result of the cutting and polishing processes, causing strains around the edges of the plates and rare defects. An improvement of the preparation technique will thus allow single-crystalline diamond plates to be made for Laue and Bragg monochromators and beam splitters from type-Ib material with areas large enough to be used as optical elements at fourth-generation synchrotron facilities.

High Temperature Annealing SP-AlN Ameliorates the Crystal Quality ofAl0.5Ga0.5N Regrowth

In this study, the effect of a high-temperature annealing process on AlN is investigated. The high-temperature annealing process reduces the screw dislocation density of the AlN film to 2.1x107 cm-2. The AlN surface is highly flat. Through HRXRD and Raman spectroscopy, the stress mode changes in the sputtered AlN film before and after high-temperature annealing were studied in depth. Based on the HTA-AlN template, a high-quality, high-Al composition AlGaN epitaxial wafer, with a (0002) plane rocking curve FWHM of 246 arcsec , was prepared at 1080°C The growth mode of AlGaN grown directly on the AlN template at low temperature is summarized.