Growth of crack-free GaN films on Si(111) substrate by using Al-rich AlN buffer layer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lu, Yuan; Cong, Guangwei; Liu, Xianglin; Lu, Da-Cheng; Zhu, Qinsheng; Wang, Xiaohui; Wu, Jiejun; Wang, Zhanguo

2004-11-01

GaN epilayers were grown on Si(111) substrate by metalorganic chemical vapor deposition. By using the Al-rich AlN buffer which contains Al beyond stoichiometry, crack-free GaN epilayers with 1 μm thickness were obtained. Through x-ray diffraction (XRD) and secondary ion mass spectroscopy analyses, it was found that a lot of Al atoms have diffused into the under part of the GaN epilayer from the Al-rich AlN buffer, which results in the formation of an AlxGa1-xN layer at least with 300 nm thickness in the 1 μm thick GaN epilayer. The Al fraction x was estimated by XRD to be about 2.5%. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy depth analysis was also applied to investigate the stoichiometry in the Al-rich buffer before GaN growth. It is suggested that the underlayer AlxGa1-xN originated from Al diffusion probably provides a compressive stress to the upper part of the GaN epilayer, which counterbalances a part of tensile stress in the GaN epilayer during cooling down and consequently reduces the cracks of the film effectively. The method using the Al diffusion effect to form a thick AlGaN layer is really feasible to achieve the crack-free GaN films and obtain a high crystal quality simultaneously.

Structural, Electrical and Optical Properties of Sputtered-Grown InN Films on ZnO Buffered Silicon, Bulk GaN, Quartz and Sapphire Substrates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bashir, Umar; Hassan, Zainuriah; Ahmed, Naser M.; Afzal, Naveed

2018-05-01

Indium nitride (InN) films were grown on Si (111), bulk GaN, quartz and sapphire substrates by radio frequency magnetron sputtering. Prior to the film deposition, a zinc oxide (ZnO) buffer layer was deposited on all the substrates. The x-ray diffraction patterns of InN films on ZnO-buffered substrates indicated c-plane-oriented films whereas the Raman spectroscopy results indicated A1 (LO) and E2 (high) modes of InN on all the substrates. The crystalline quality of InN was found to be better on sapphire and quartz than on the other substrates. The surface roughness of InN was studied using an atomic force microscope. The results indicated higher surface roughness of the film on sapphire as compared to the others; however, roughness of the film was lower than 8 nm on all the substrates. The electrical properties indicated higher electron mobility of InN (20.20 cm2/Vs) on bulk GaN than on the other substrates. The optical band gap of InN film was more than 2 eV in all the cases and was attributed to high carrier concentration in the film.

Electron mobility of self-assembled and dislocation free InN nanorods grown on GaN nano wall network template

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Tangi, Malleswararao; De, Arpan; Ghatak, Jay

2016-05-28

A kinetically controlled two-step growth process for the formation of an array of dislocation free high mobility InN nanorods (NRs) on GaN nanowall network (NWN) by Molecular Beam Epitaxy is demonstrated here. The epitaxial GaN NWN is formed on c-sapphire under nitrogen rich conditions, and then changing the source from Ga to In at appropriate substrate temperature yields the nucleation of a self assembled spontaneous m-plane side faceted-InN NR. By HRTEM, the NRs are shown to be dislocation-free and have a low band gap value of 0.65 eV. Hall measurements are carried out on a single InN NR along with J-Vmore » measurements that yield mobility values as high as ≈4453 cm{sup 2}/V s and the carrier concentration of ≈1.1 × 10{sup 17} cm{sup −3}, which are unprecedented in the literature for comparable InN NR diameters.« less

Calculated defect levels in GaN and AlN and their pressure coefficients

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gorczyca, I.; Svane, A.; Christensen, N. E.

1997-03-01

Using the Green's function technique based on the linear muffin-tin orbital method in the atomic-spheres approximation we perform self-consistent calculations of the electronic structure of native defects and other impurities in cubic GaN and AlN. Vacancies, antisites and interstitials and some of the most common dopants such as Zn, Mg, Cd, C and Ge are investigated in different charge states. To examine the lattice relaxation effects the super-cell approach in connection with the full-potential linear muffin-tin-orbital method is applied to the aluminum vacancy and the nitrogen antisite in AlN. The influence of hydrostatic pressure on the energy positions of some defect states is also studied.

Effect of the nand p-type Si(100) substrates with a SiC buffer layer on the growth mechanism and structure of epitaxial layers of semipolar AlN and GaN

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bessolov, V. N.; Grashchenko, A. S.; Konenkova, E. V.; Myasoedov, A. V.; Osipov, A. V.; Red'kov, A. V.; Rodin, S. N.; Rubets, V. P.; Kukushkin, S. A.

2015-10-01

A new effect of the n-and p-type doping of the Si(100) substrate with a SiC film on the growth mechanism and structure of AlN and GaN epitaxial layers has been revealed. It has been experimentally shown that the mechanism of AlN and GaN layer growth on the surface of a SiC layer synthesized by substituting atoms on n- and p-Si substrates is fundamentally different. It has been found that semipolar AlN and GaN layers on the SiC/Si(100) surface grow in the epitaxial and polycrystalline structures on p-Si and n-Si substrates, respectively. A new method for synthesizing epitaxial semipolar AlN and GaN layers by chloride-hydride epitaxy on silicon substrates has been proposed.

Dynamic atomic layer epitaxy of InN on/in +c-GaN matrix: Effect of “In+N” coverage and capping timing by GaN layer on effective InN thickness

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Yoshikawa, Akihiko, E-mail: yoshi@faculty.chiba-u.jp; Graduate School of Engineering, Kogakuin University, Hachioji, Tokyo 192-0015; Kusakabe, Kazuhide

2016-01-11

The growth front in the self-organizing and self-limiting epitaxy of ∼1 monolayer (ML)-thick InN wells on/in +c-GaN matrix by molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) has been studied in detail, with special attention given to the behavior and role of the N atoms. The growth temperatures of interest are above 600 °C, far higher than the typical upper critical temperature of 500 °C in MBE. It was confirmed that 2 ML-thick InN wells can be frozen/inserted in GaN matrix at 620 °C, but it was found that N atoms at the growth front tend to selectively re-evaporate more quickly than In atoms at temperatures highermore » than 650 °C. As a result, the effective thickness of inserted InN wells in the GaN matrix at 660–670 °C were basically 1 ML or sub-ML, even though they were capped by a GaN barrier at the time of 2 ML “In+N” coverage. Furthermore, it was found that the N atoms located below In atoms in the dynamic atomic layer epitaxy growth front had remarkably weaker bonding to the +c-GaN surface.« less

Spontaneous Oscillations and Waves during Chemical Vapor Deposition of InN

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jiang, F.; Munkholm, A.; Wang, R.-V.; Streiffer, S. K.; Thompson, Carol; Fuoss, P. H.; Latifi, K.; Elder, K. R.; Stephenson, G. B.

2008-08-01

We report observations of self-sustaining spatiotemporal chemical oscillations during metal-organic chemical vapor deposition of InN onto GaN. Under constant supply of vapor precursors trimethylindium and NH3, the condensed-phase cycles between crystalline islands of InN and elemental In droplets. Propagating fronts between regions of InN and In occur with linear, circular, and spiral geometries. The results are described by a model in which the nitrogen activity produced by surface-catalyzed NH3 decomposition varies with the exposed surface areas of GaN, InN, and In.

Spontaneous oscillations and waves during chemical vapor deposition of InN.

PubMed

Jiang, F; Munkholm, A; Wang, R-V; Streiffer, S K; Thompson, Carol; Fuoss, P H; Latifi, K; Elder, K R; Stephenson, G B

2008-08-22

We report observations of self-sustaining spatiotemporal chemical oscillations during metal-organic chemical vapor deposition of InN onto GaN. Under constant supply of vapor precursors trimethylindium and NH3, the condensed-phase cycles between crystalline islands of InN and elemental In droplets. Propagating fronts between regions of InN and In occur with linear, circular, and spiral geometries. The results are described by a model in which the nitrogen activity produced by surface-catalyzed NH3 decomposition varies with the exposed surface areas of GaN, InN, and In.

The structure of crystallographic damage in GaN formed during rare earth ion implantation with and without an ultrathin AlN capping layer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gloux, F.; Ruterana, P.; Wojtowicz, T.; Lorenz, K.; Alves, E.

2006-10-01

The crystallographic nature of the damage created in GaN implanted by rare earth ions at 300 keV and room temperature has been investigated by transmission electron microscopy versus the fluence, from 7×10 13 to 2×10 16 at/cm 2, using Er, Eu or Tm ions. The density of point defect clusters was seen to increase with the fluence. From about 3×10 15 at/cm 2, a highly disordered 'nanocrystalline layer' (NL) appears on the GaN surface. Its structure exhibits a mixture of voids and misoriented nanocrystallites. Basal stacking faults (BSFs) of I 1, E and I 2 types have been noticed from the lowest fluence, they are I 1 in the majority. Their density increases and saturates when the NL is observed. Many prismatic stacking faults (PSFs) with Drum atomic configuration have been identified. The I 1 BSFs are shown to propagate easily through GaN by folding from basal to prismatic planes thanks to the PSFs. When implanting through a 10 nm AlN cap, the NL threshold goes up to about 3×10 16 at/cm 2. The AlN cap plays a protective role against the dissociation of the GaN up to the highest fluences. The flat surface after implantation and the absence of SFs in the AlN cap indicate its high resistance to the damage formation.

MOCVD growth and study of thin films of indium nitride

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jain, Abhishek

This thesis is focused on a study of MOCVD growth of InN with the goal of providing new information on the effects of growth conditions and buffer/substrate materials on InN film properties. Initial studies, using both (111) Si and (0001) sapphire substrates, identified an optimum growth temperature window of 540--560°C for the formation of stable InN films. When attempting to grow InN films on sapphire with thicknesses greater than approximately 150 nanometers using an AlN buffer layer, the InN films were observed to delaminate from the buffer/substrate at growth temperature. The combined effect of compressive stress due to high lattice mismatch between InN and AlN (˜14%) and tensile stress due to grain coalescence along with the relatively weak bond strength of InN compared to GaN and AlN, is believed to cause the InN film to crack along the interface and delaminate. To further investigate the effect of the buffer layer on InN growth, studies were carried out using GaN films grown on sapphire as the growth template. Recent MBE results had indicated a significant difference in the thermal stability and growth mode of In-polar and N-polar InN, with improved properties reported for N-polar material grown on N-polar GaN. MOCVD growth of N-polar GaN is very difficult; consequently, all of the results reported in the literature for InN growth on GaN were likely carried out on Ga-polar material resulting in films with a high surface roughness. By utilizing N-polar and Ga-polar GaN films, it was possible to produce N-polar and In-polar InN films by MOCVD, as determined by convergent beam electron diffraction (CBED) analysis. Furthermore, the polarity was found to dramatically alter the surface roughness and growth mode of the InN films with enhanced lateral growth and reduced surface roughness obtained for N-polar InN. A qualitative model was proposed to explain the different growth mechanisms observed for In-polar and N-polar InN. In spite of the improvements in

Individual electron and hole localization in submonolayer InN quantum sheets embedded in GaN

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Feix, F., E-mail: feix@pdi-berlin.de; Flissikowski, T.; Chèze, C.

2016-07-25

We investigate sub-monolayer InN quantum sheets embedded in GaN(0001) by temperature-dependent photoluminescence spectroscopy under both continuous-wave and pulsed excitation. Both the peak energy and the linewidth of the emission band associated with the quantum sheets exhibit an anomalous dependence on temperature indicative of carrier localization. Photoluminescence transients reveal a power law decay at low temperatures reflecting that the recombining electrons and holes occupy spatially separate, individual potential minima reminiscent of conventional (In,Ga)N(0001) quantum wells exhibiting the characteristic disorder of a random alloy. At elevated temperatures, carrier delocalization sets in and is accompanied by a thermally activated quenching of the emission.more » We ascribe the strong nonradiative recombination to extended states in the GaN barriers and confirm our assumption by a simple rate-equation model.« less

Far-infrared transmission in GaN, AlN, and AlGaN thin films grown by molecular beam epitaxy

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ibanez, J.; Hernandez, S.; Alarcon-Llado, E.

2008-08-01

We present a far-infrared transmission study on group-III nitride thin films. Cubic GaN and AlN layers and c-oriented wurtzite GaN, AlN, and Al{sub x}Ga{sub 1-x}N (x<0.3) layers were grown by molecular beam epitaxy on GaAs and Si(111) substrates, respectively. The Berreman effect allows us to observe simultaneously the transverse optic and the longitudinal optic phonons of both the cubic and the hexagonal films as transmission minima in the infrared spectra acquired with obliquely incident radiation. We discuss our results in terms of the relevant electromagnetic theory of infrared transmission in cubic and wurtzite thin films. We compare the infrared resultsmore » with visible Raman-scattering measurements. In the case of films with low scattering volumes and/or low Raman efficiencies and also when the Raman signal of the substrate material obscures the weaker peaks from the nitride films, we find that the Berreman technique is particularly useful to complement Raman spectroscopy.« less

Structural and optical studies of GaN pn-junction with AlN buffer layer grown on Si (111) by RF plasma enhanced MBE

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Yusoff, Mohd Zaki Mohd; Hassan, Zainuriah; Woei, Chin Che

2012-06-29

GaN pn-junction grown on silicon substrates have been the focus in a number of recent reports and further effort is still necessary to improve its crystalline quality for practical applications. GaN has the high n-type background carrier concentration resulting from native defects commonly thought to be nitrogen vacancies. In this work, we present the growth of pn-junction of GaN on Si (111) substrate using RF plasma-enhanced molecular beam epitaxy (MBE). Both of the layers show uniformity with an average thickness of 0.709 {mu}m and 0.095 {mu}m for GaN and AlN layers, respectively. The XRD spectra indicate that no sign ofmore » cubic phase of GaN are found, so it is confirmed that the sample possessed hexagonal structure. It was found that all the allowed Raman optical phonon modes of GaN, i.e. the E2 (low), E1 (high) and A1 (LO) are clearly visible.« less

Point-defect energies in the nitrides of aluminum, gallium, and indium

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tansley, T. L.; Egan, R. J.

1992-05-01

Experimental data on the nature and energetic location of levels associated with native point defects in the group-III metal nitrides are critically reviewed and compared with theoretical estimates. All three show strong evidence of the existence of a triplet of donorlike states associated with the nitrogen vacancy. Ground states are at about 150, 400, and 900 meV from the conduction-band edge in InN, GaN, and AlN, respectively, with their charged derivatives lying closer to the band edge. These values agree with both modified-hydrogenic and deep-level calculations, surprisingly well in view of the inherent approximations in each in this depth range. The InN donor ground state is both optically active and usually occupied, showing a distinctive absorption band which is very well described by quantum-defect analysis. Variation of threshold with electron concentration shows a Moss-Burstein shift commensurate with that observed in band-to-band absorption. In both GaN and AlN, levels have been identified at about 1/4EG and about 3/4EG, which correlate well with predictions for the antisite defects NM and MN, respectively, while similar behavior in InN is at odds with theory. The metal-vacancy defect appears to generate a level somewhat below midgap in AlN and close to the valence-band edge in GaN, but has not been located experimentally in InN, where it is predicted to lie very close to the valence-band edge. A tentative scheme for the participation of two of the native defects in GaN, namely VN and NGa, in the four broad emission bands found in Zn-compensated and undoped GaN is offered.

Self-organization of dislocation-free, high-density, vertically aligned GaN nanocolumns involving InGaN quantum wells on graphene/SiO2 covered with a thin AlN buffer layer.

PubMed

Hayashi, Hiroaki; Konno, Yuta; Kishino, Katsumi

2016-02-05

We demonstrated the self-organization of high-density GaN nanocolumns on multilayer graphene (MLG)/SiO2 covered with a thin AlN buffer layer by RF-plasma-assisted molecular beam epitaxy. MLG/SiO2 substrates were prepared by the transfer of CVD graphene onto thermally oxidized SiO2/Si [100] substrates. Employing the MLG with an AlN buffer layer enabled the self-organization of high-density and vertically aligned nanocolumns. Transmission electron microscopy observation revealed that no threading dislocations, stacking faults, or twinning defects were included in the self-organized nanocolumns. The photoluminescence (PL) peak intensities of the self-organized GaN nanocolumns were 2.0-2.6 times higher than those of a GaN substrate grown by hydride vapor phase epitaxy. Moreover, no yellow luminescence or ZB-phase GaN emission was observed from the nanocolumns. An InGaN/GaN MQW and p-type GaN were integrated into GaN nanocolumns grown on MLG, displaying a single-peak PL emission at a wavelength of 533 nm. Thus, high-density nitride p-i-n nanocolumns were fabricated on SiO2/Si using the transferred MLG interlayer, indicating the possibility of developing visible nanocolumn LEDs on graphene/SiO2.

Radiative and Auger recombination of degenerate carriers in InN

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McAllister, Andrew; Bayerl, Dylan; Kioupakis, Emmanouil

Group-III nitrides find applications in many fields - energy conversion, sensors, and solid-state lighting. The band gaps of InN, GaN and AlN alloys span the infrared to ultraviolet spectral range. However, nitride optoelectronic devices suffer from a drop in efficiency as carrier density increases. A major component of this decrease is Auger recombination, but its influence is not fully understood, particularly for degenerate carriers. For nondegenerate carriers the radiative rate scales as the carrier density squared, while the Auger rate scales as the density cubed. However, it is unclear how these power laws decrease as carriers become degenerate. Using first-principles calculations we studied the dependence of the radiative and Auger recombination rates on carrier density in InN. We found a more complex dependence on the Auger rate than expected. The power law of the Auger rate changes at different densities depending on the type of Auger process involved and the type of carriers that have become degenerate. In contrast, the power law of the radiative rate changes when either carrier type becomes degenerate. This creates problems in designing devices, as Auger remains a major contributor to carrier recombination at densities for which radiative recombination is suppressed by phase-space filling. This work was supported by NSF (GRFP DGE 1256260 and CAREER DMR-1254314). Computational resources provided by the DOE NERSC facility (DE-AC02-05CH11231).

Codoping method for the fabrication of low-resistivity wide band-gap semiconductors in p-type GaN, p-type AlN and n-type diamond: prediction versus experiment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Katayama-Yoshida, H.; Nishimatsu, T.; Yamamoto, T.; Orita, N.

2001-10-01

We review our new valence control method of a co-doping for the fabrication of low-resistivity p-type GaN, p-type AlN and n-type diamond. The co-doping method is proposed based upon ab initio electronic structure calculation in order to solve the uni-polarity and the compensation problems in the wide band-gap semiconductors. In the co-doping method, we dope both the acceptors and donors at the same time by forming the meta-stable acceptor-donor-acceptor complexes for the p-type or donor-acceptor-donor complexes for the n-type under thermal non-equilibrium crystal growth conditions. We propose the following co-doping method to fabricate the low-resistivity wide band-gap semiconductors; p-type GaN: [Si + 2 Mg (or Be)], [H + 2 Mg (or Be)], [O + 2 Mg (or Be)], p-type AlN: [O + 2 C] and n-type diamond: [B + 2 N], [H + S], [H + 2 P]. We compare our prediction of the co-doping method with the recent successful experiments to fabricate the low-resistivity p-type GaN, p-type AlN and n-type diamond. We show that the co-doping method is the efficient and universal doping method by which to avoid carrier compensation with an increase of the solubility of the dopant, to increase the activation rate by decreasing the ionization energy of acceptors and donors, and to increase the mobility of the carrier.

Systematic study on dynamic atomic layer epitaxy of InN on/in +c-GaN matrix and fabrication of fine-structure InN/GaN quantum wells: Role of high growth temperature

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yoshikawa, Akihiko; Kusakabe, Kazuhide; Hashimoto, Naoki; Hwang, Eun-Sook; Imai, Daichi; Itoi, Takaomi

2016-12-01

The growth kinetics and properties of nominally 1-ML (monolayer)-thick InN wells on/in +c-GaN matrix fabricated using dynamic atomic layer epitaxy (D-ALEp) by plasma-assisted molecular beam epitaxy were systematically studied, with particular attention given to the effects of growth temperature. Attention was also given to how and where the ˜1-ML-thick InN layers were frozen or embedded on/in the +c-GaN matrix. The D-ALEp of InN on GaN was a two-stage process; in the 1st stage, an "In+N" bilayer/monolayer was formed on the GaN surface, while in the 2nd, this was capped by a GaN barrier layer. Each process was monitored in-situ using spectroscopic ellipsometry. The target growth temperature was above 620 °C and much higher than the upper critical epitaxy temperature of InN (˜500 °C). The "In+N" bilayer/monolayer tended to be an incommensurate phase, and the growth of InN layers was possible only when they were capped with a GaN layer. The InN layers could be coherently inserted into the GaN matrix under self-organizing and self-limiting epitaxy modes. The growth temperature was the most dominant growth parameter on both the growth process and the structure of the InN layers. Reflecting the inherent growth behavior of D-ALEp grown InN on/in +c-GaN at high growth temperature, the embedded InN layers in the GaN matrix were basically not full-ML in coverage, and the thickness of sheet-island-like InN layers was essentially either 1-ML or 2-ML. It was found that these InN layers tended to be frozen at the step edges on the GaN and around screw-type threading dislocations. The InN wells formed type-I band line-up heterostructures with GaN barriers, with exciton localization energies of about 300 and 500 meV at 15 K for the 1-ML and 2-ML InN wells, respectively.

Adsorption properties of AlN on Si(111) surface: A density functional study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yuan, Yinmei; Zuo, Ran; Mao, Keke; Tang, Binlong; Zhang, Zhou; Liu, Jun; Zhong, Tingting

2018-04-01

In the process of preparing GaN on Si substrate by MOCVD, an AlN buffer layer is very important. In this study, we conducted density functional theory calculations on the adsorption of AlN molecule on Si(111)-(2 × 2) surface, with the AlN molecule located horizontally or vertically above Si(111) surface at different adsorption sites. The calculations revealed that the lowest adsorption energy was at the N-top-Al-bridge site in the horizontal configuration, with the narrowest band gap, indicating that it was the most preferential adsorption growth status of AlN. In the vertical configurations, N adatom was more reactive and convenient to form bonds with the topmost Si atoms than Al adatom. When the N-end of the AlN molecule was located downward, the hollow site was the preferred adsorption site; when the Al-end was located downward, the bridge site was the most energetically favorable. Moreover, we investigated some electronic properties such as partial density of states, electron density difference, Mulliken populations, etc., revealing the microscale mechanism for AlN adsorption on Si(111) surface and providing theoretical support for adjusting the processing parameters during AlN or GaN production.

Single layers and multilayers of GaN and AlN in square-octagon structure: Stability, electronic properties, and functionalization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gürbüz, E.; Cahangirov, S.; Durgun, E.; Ciraci, S.

2017-11-01

Further to planar single-layer hexagonal structures, GaN and AlN can also form free-standing, single-layer structures constructed from squares and octagons. We performed an extensive analysis of dynamical and thermal stability of these structures in terms of ab initio finite-temperature molecular dynamics and phonon calculations together with the analysis of Raman and infrared active modes. These single-layer square-octagon structures of GaN and AlN display directional mechanical properties and have wide, indirect fundamental band gaps, which are smaller than their hexagonal counterparts. These density functional theory band gaps, however, increase and become wider upon correction. Under uniaxial and biaxial tensile strain, the fundamental band gaps decrease and can be closed. The electronic and magnetic properties of these single-layer structures can be modified by adsorption of various adatoms, or by creating neutral cation-anion vacancies. The single-layer structures attain magnetic moment by selected adatoms and neutral vacancies. In particular, localized gap states are strongly dependent on the type of vacancy. The energetics, binding, and resulting electronic structure of bilayer, trilayer, and three-dimensional (3D) layered structures constructed by stacking the single layers are affected by vertical chemical bonds between adjacent layers. In addition to van der Waals interaction, these weak vertical bonds induce buckling in planar geometry and enhance their binding, leading to the formation of stable 3D layered structures. In this respect, these multilayers are intermediate between van der Waals solids and wurtzite crystals, offering a wide range of tunability.

Oxygen induced strain field homogenization in AlN nucleation layers and its impact on GaN grown by metal organic vapor phase epitaxy on sapphire: An x-ray diffraction study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bläsing, J.; Krost, A.; Hertkorn, J.; Scholz, F.; Kirste, L.; Chuvilin, A.; Kaiser, U.

2009-02-01

This paper presents an x-ray study of GaN, which is grown on nominally undoped and oxygen-doped AlN nucleation layers on sapphire substrates by metal organic vapor phase epitaxy. Without additional oxygen doping a trimodal nucleation distribution of AlN is observed leading to inhomogeneous in-plane strain fields, whereas in oxygen-doped layers a homogeneous distribution of nucleation centers is observed. In both types of nucleation layers extremely sharp correlation peaks occur in transverse ω-scans which are attributed to a high density of edge-type dislocations having an in-plane Burgers vector. The correlation peaks are still visible in the (0002) ω-scans of 500 nm GaN which might mislead an observer to conclude incorrectly that there exists an extremely high structural quality. For the undoped nucleation layers depth-sensitive measurements in grazing incidence geometry reveal a strong thickness dependence of the lattice parameter a, whereas no such dependence is observed for doped samples. For oxygen-doped nucleation layers, in cross-sectional transmission electron microscopy images a high density of stacking faults parallel to the substrate surface is found in contrast to undoped nucleation layers where a high density of threading dislocations is visible. GaN of 2.5 μm grown on top of 25 nm AlN nucleation layers with an additional in situ SiN mask show full widths at half maximum of 160″ and 190″ in (0002) and (10-10) high-resolution x-ray diffraction ω-scans, respectively.

How localized acceptors limit p-type conductivity in GaN

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lyons, John L.

2013-03-01

Despite the impressive development of GaN as an optoelectronic material, p-type conductivity is still limited. Only a single acceptor impurity, magnesium, is known to lead to p-type GaN. But Mg is far from a well-behaved acceptor. Hydrogen is known to passivate Mg, necessitating a post-growth anneal for acceptor activation. In addition, the ionization energy is quite large (~ 200 meV in GaN), meaning only a few percent of Mg acceptors are ionized at room temperature. Thus, hole conductivity is limited, and high concentrations of Mg are required to achieve moderately p-type GaN. Other acceptor impurities have not proven to be effective p-type dopants, for reasons that are still unresolved. Using advanced first-principles calculations based on a hybrid functional, we investigate the electrical and optical properties of the isolated Mg acceptor and its complexes with hydrogen in GaN, InN, and AlN.[2] We employ a technique that overcomes the band-gap-problem of traditional density functional theory, and allows for quantitative predictions of acceptor ionization energies and optical transition energies. Our results allow us to explain the deep or shallow nature of the Mg acceptor and its relation to the optical signals observed in Mg-doped GaN. We also revisit the properties of other group-II acceptors in GaN. We find that all cation-site acceptors show behavior similar to MgGa, and lead to highly localized holes. The ZnGa and BeGa acceptors have ionization energies that are even larger than that of Mg, making them ineffective dopants. All acceptors cause large lattice distortions in their neutral charge state, in turn leading to deep, broad luminescence signals that can serve as a means of experimentally verifying the deep nature of these acceptors. This work was performed in collaboration with Audrius Alkauskas, Anderson Janotti, and Chris G. Van de Walle. It was supported by the NSF and by the Solid State Lighting and Energy Center at UCSB.

Growth and characterizations of various GaN nanostructures on C-plane sapphire using laser MBE

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ch., Ramesh; Tyagi, P.; Maurya, K. K.; Kumar, M. Senthil; Kushvaha, S. S.

2017-05-01

We have grown various GaN nanostructures such as three-dimensional islands, nanowalls and nanocolumns on c-plane sapphire substrates using laser assisted molecular beam epitaxy (LMBE) system. The shape of the GaN nanostructures was controlled by using different nucleation surfaces such as bare and nitridated sapphire with GaN or AlN buffer layers. The structural and surface morphological properties of grown GaN nanostructures were characterized by ex-situ high resolution x-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy and field emission scanning electron microscopy. The symmetric x-ray rocking curve along GaN (0002) plane shows that the GaN grown on pre-nitridated sapphire with GaN or AlN buffer layer possesses good crystalline quality compared to sapphire without nitridation. The Raman spectroscopy measurements revealed the wurtzite phase for all the GaN nanostructures grown on c-sapphire.

Shallow versus deep nature of Mg acceptors in nitride semiconductors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lyons, John; Janotti, Anderson; van de Walle, Chris G.

2012-02-01

Although Mg doping is the only known method for achieving p-type conductivity in nitride semiconductors, Mg is not a perfect acceptor. Hydrogen is known to passivate the Mg acceptor, necessitating a post-growth anneal for acceptor activation. Furthermore, the acceptor ionization energy of Mg is relatively large (200 meV) in GaN, thus only a few percent of Mg acceptors are ionized at room temperature. Surprisingly, despite the importance of this impurity, open questions remain regarding the nature of the acceptor. Optical and magnetic resonance measurements on Mg-doped GaN indicate intriguing and complex behavior that depends on the growth, doping level, and thermal treatment of the samples. Motivated by these studies, we have revisited this topic by performing first-principles calculations based on a hybrid functional. We investigate the electrical and optical properties of the isolated Mg acceptor and its complexes with hydrogen in GaN, InN, and AlN. With the help of these advanced techniques we explain the deep or shallow nature of the Mg acceptor and its relation to optical signals often seen in Mg-doped GaN. We also explore the properties of the Mg acceptor in InN and AlN, allowing predictions of the behavior of the Mg dopant in ternary nitride alloys.

Resistivity control of unintentionally doped GaN films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Grzegorczyk, A. P.; Macht, L.; Hageman, P. R.; Rudzinski, M.; Larsen, P. K.

2005-05-01

GaN epilayers were grown on sapphire substrates via low temperature GaN and AlN nucleation layers (NL) by metalorganic chemical vapor phase epitaxy (MOCVD). The morphology of the individual NLs strongly depends on the carrier gas used during the growth and recrystallization and this is the key factor for control of the resistivity of the GaN layer grown on it. The GaN nucleation layer grown in presence of N2 has a higher density of islands with a statistically smaller diameter than the samples grown in H2 atmosphere. The NL grown in N2 enables the growth GaN with a sheet resistivity higher than 3×104 cm as opposed to a 0.5 cm value obtained for the NL grown in H2. Introduction of an additional intermediate (IL) low temperature (GaN or AlN) nucleation layer changes the GaN epilayer resistivity to about 50 cm, regardless of the carrier gas used during the growth of the IL. Defect selective etching demonstrated that control of the type and density of the dislocations in GaN enables the growth of highly resistive layers without any intentional acceptor doping (Mg, Zn). It will be demonstrated that by changing the ratio of edge type to screw dislocations the resistivity of the layer can be changed by a few orders of magnitude.

Two-dimensional electron gas in monolayer InN quantum wells

DOE PAGES

Pan, Wei; Dimakis, Emmanouil; Wang, George T.; ...

2014-11-24

We report in this letter experimental results that confirm the two-dimensional nature of the electron systems in monolayer InN quantum wells embedded in GaN barriers. The electron density and mobility of the two-dimensional electron system (2DES) in these InN quantum wells are 5×10 15 cm -2 and 420 cm 2 /Vs, respectively. Moreover, the diagonal resistance of the 2DES shows virtually no temperature dependence in a wide temperature range, indicating the topological nature of the 2DES.

Role of dislocations and carrier concentration in limiting the electron mobility of InN films grown by plasma assisted molecular beam epitaxy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tangi, Malleswararao; De, Arpan; Shivaprasad, S. M.

2018-01-01

We report the molecular beam epitaxy growth of device quality InN films on GaN epilayer and nano-wall network (NWN) templates deposited on c-sapphire by varying the film thickness up to 1 μm. The careful experiments are directed towards obtaining high mobility InN layers having a low band gap with improved crystal quality. The dislocation density is quantified by using high resolution X-ray diffraction rocking curve broadening values of symmetric and asymmetric reflections, respectively. We observe that the dislocation density of the InN films grown on GaN NWN is less than that of the films grown on the GaN epilayer. This is attributed to the nanoepitaxial lateral overlayer growth (ELOG) process, where the presence of voids at the interface of InN/GaN NWN prevents the propagation of dislocation lines into the InN epilayers, thereby causing less defects in the overgrown InN films. Thus, this new adaptation of the nano-ELOG growth process enables us to prepare InN layers with high electron mobility. The obtained electron mobility of 2121 cm2/Vs for 1 μm thick InN/GaN NWN is comparable with the literature values of similar thickness InN films. Furthermore, in order to understand the reasons that limit electron mobility, the charge neutrality condition is employed to study the variation of electron mobility as a function of dislocation density and carrier concentration. Overall, this study provides a route to attaining improved crystal quality and electronic properties of InN films.

Improving p-type doping efficiency in Al0.83Ga0.17N alloy substituted by nanoscale (AlN)5/(GaN)1 superlattice with MgGa-ON δ-codoping: Role of O-atom in GaN monolayer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhong, Hong-xia; Shi, Jun-jie; Zhang, Min; Jiang, Xin-he; Huang, Pu; Ding, Yi-min

2015-01-01

We calculate Mg-acceptor activation energy EA and investigate the influence of O-atom, occupied the Mg nearest-neighbor, on EA in nanoscale (AlN)5/(GaN)1 superlattice (SL), a substitution for Al0.83Ga0.17N disorder alloy, using first-principles calculations. We find that the N-atom bonded with Ga-atom is more easily substituted by O-atom and nMgGa-ON (n = 1-3) complexes are favorable and stable in the SL. The O-atom plays a dominant role in reducing EA. The shorter the Mg-O bond is, the smaller the EA is. The Mg-acceptor activation energy can be reduced significantly by nMgGa-ON δ-codoping. Our calculated EA for 2MgGa-ON is 0.21 eV, and can be further reduced to 0.13 eV for 3MgGa-ON, which results in a high hole concentration in the order of 1020 cm-3 at room temperature in (AlN)5/(GaN)1 SL. Our results prove that nMgGa-ON (n = 2,3) δ-codoping in AlN/GaN SL with ultrathin GaN-layer is an effective way to improve p-type doping efficiency in Al-rich AlGaN.

Cathodoluminescence Study on Spatial Luminescence Properties of InN/GaN Multiple Quantum Wells Consisting of 1-Monolayer-Thick InN Wells/GaN Matrix

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hwang, E. S.; Che, S. B.; Saito, H.; Wang, X.; Ishitani, Y.; Yoshikawa, A.

2008-05-01

Spatially resolved luminescence properties of InN/GaN multiple quantum wells (MQWs) consisting of nominally one monolayer (1-ML)-thick InN QWs embedded in a GaN matrix are studied by cross-sectional and plan-view cathodoluminescence measurements. First it is confirmed that the dominant emission peaks observed at around 390 nm to 430 nm in the MQWs samples are attributed to the effects of inserting ˜1-ML-thick InN wells in the GaN matrix, resulting in efficient localization of GaN excitons at InN QWs. Furthermore, it is revealed that the detailed structure of the MQWs, such as the thickness distribution and interface sharpness, is very sensitive to the presence of surface defects such as hillocks around screw-component threading dislocations, resulting in different emission wavelengths/energies. This is because the epitaxy process for depositing such thin InN wells is seriously affected by the atomic-level surface structures/properties of the growth front. It will be concluded that it is necessary to use lower dislocation density GaN bulk templates to obtain much higher structural quality InN/GaN MQWs good enough for characterizing their optical properties.

Strain modulation-enhanced Mg acceptor activation efficiency of Al0.14Ga0.86N/GaN superlattices with AlN interlayer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Lei; Li, Rui; Li, Ding; Liu, Ningyang; Liu, Lei; Chen, Weihua; Wang, Cunda; Yang, Zhijian; Hu, Xiaodong

2010-02-01

AlN layer was grown as interlayer between undoped GaN and Mg doped Al0.14Ga0.86N/GaN superlattices (SLs) epilayer to modulate the strain distribution between Al0.14Ga0.86N barrier and GaN well layers in SLs sample. Strain relaxation was observed in the SLs sample with AlN interlayer by x-ray diffraction reciprocal space mapping method. The measured hole concentration of SLs sample with AlN interlayer at room temperature was over 1.6×1018 cm-3 but that was only 6.6×1016 cm-3 obtained in SLs sample without AlN interlayer. Variable temperature Hall-effect measurement showed that the acceptor activation energy decreased from 150 to 70 meV after inserting the AlN layer, which indicated that the strain modulation of SLs induced by AlN interlayer was beneficial to the Mg acceptor activation and hole concentration enhancement.

GaN Nanowire Devices: Fabrication and Characterization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Scott, Reum

The development of microelectronics in the last 25 years has been characterized by an exponential increase of the bit density in integrated circuits (ICs) with time. Scaling solid-state devices improves cost, performance, and power; as such, it is of particular interest for companies, who gain a market advantage with the latest technology. As a result, the microelectronics industry has driven transistor feature size scaling from 10 μm to ~30 nm during the past 40 years. This trend has persisted for 40 years due to optimization, new processing techniques, device structures, and materials. But when noting processor speeds from the 1970's to 2009 and then again in 2010, the implication would be that the trend has ceased. To address the challenge of shrinking the integrated circuit (IC), current research is centered on identifying new materials and devices that can supplement and/or potentially supplant it. Bottom-up methods tailor nanoscale building blocks---atoms, molecules, quantum dots, and nanowires (NWs)---to be used to overcome these limitations. The Group IIIA nitrides (InN, AlN, and GaN) possess appealing properties such as a direct band gap spanning the whole solar spectrum, high saturation velocity, and high breakdown electric field. As a result nanostructures and nanodevices made from GaN and related nitrides are suitable candidates for efficient nanoscale UV/ visible light emitters, detectors, and gas sensors. To produce devices with such small structures new fabrication methods must be implemented. Devices composed of GaN nanowires were fabricated using photolithography and electron beam lithography. The IV characteristics of these devices were noted under different illuminations and the current tripled from 4.8*10-7 A to 1.59*10 -6 A under UV light which persisted for at least 5hrs.

In vacancies in InN grown by plasma-assisted molecular beam epitaxy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Reurings, Floris; Tuomisto, Filip; Gallinat, Chad S.; Koblmüller, Gregor; Speck, James S.

2010-12-01

The authors have applied positron annihilation spectroscopy to study the effect of different growth conditions on vacancy formation in In- and N-polar InN grown by plasma-assisted molecular beam epitaxy. The results suggest that the structural quality of the material and limited diffusion of surface adatoms during growth dictate the In vacancy formation in low electron-density undoped epitaxial InN, while growth conditions and thermodynamics have a less important role, contrary to what is observed in, e.g., GaN. Furthermore, the results imply that in high quality InN, the electron mobility is likely limited not by ionized point defect scattering, but rather by threading dislocations.

Characterization of N-polar AlN in GaN/AlN/(Al,Ga)N heterostructures grown by metal-organic chemical vapor deposition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Haoran; Mazumder, Baishakhi; Bonef, Bastien; Keller, Stacia; Wienecke, Steven; Speck, James S.; Denbaars, Steven P.; Mishra, Umesh K.

2017-11-01

In GaN/(Al,Ga)N high-electron-mobility transistors (HEMT), AlN interlayer between GaN channel and AlGaN barrier suppresses alloy scattering and significantly improves the electron mobility of the two-dimensional electron gas. While high concentrations of gallium were previously observed in Al-polar AlN interlayers grown by metal-organic chemical vapor deposition, the N-polar AlN (Al x Ga1-x N) films examined by atom probe tomography in this study exhibited aluminum compositions (x) equal to or higher than 95% over a wide range of growth conditions. The also investigated AlN interlayer in a N-polar GaN/AlN/AlGaN/ S.I. GaN HEMT structure possessed a similarly high x content.

Epitaxial Growth of GaN Films by Pulse-Mode Hot-Mesh Chemical Vapor Deposition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Komae, Yasuaki; Yasui, Kanji; Suemitsu, Maki; Endoh, Tetsuo; Ito, Takashi; Nakazawa, Hideki; Narita, Yuzuru; Takata, Masasuke; Akahane, Tadashi

2009-07-01

Intermittent gas supplies for hot-mesh chemical vapor deposition (CVD) for the epitaxial growth of gallium nitride (GaN) films were investigated to improve film crystallinity and optical properties. The GaN films were deposited on SiC/Si(111) substrates using an alternating-source gas supply or an intermittent supply of source gases such as ammonia (NH3) and trimethylgallium (TMG) in hot-mesh CVD after deposition of an aluminum nitride (AlN) buffer layer. The AlN layer was deposited using NH3 and trimethylaluminum (TMA) on a SiC layer grown by carbonization of a Si substrate using propane (C3H8). GaN films were grown on the AlN layer by a reaction between NHx radicals generated on a ruthenium (Ru)-coated tungsten (W) mesh and TMG molecules. After testing various gas supply modes, GaN films with good crystallinity and surface morphology were obtained using an intermittent supply of TMG and a continuous supply of NH3 gas. An optimal interval for the TMG gas supply was also obtained for the apparatus employed.

Structural anisotropy of nonpolar and semipolar InN epitaxial layers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Darakchieva, V.; Xie, M.-Y.; Franco, N.; Giuliani, F.; Nunes, B.; Alves, E.; Hsiao, C. L.; Chen, L. C.; Yamaguchi, T.; Takagi, Y.; Kawashima, K.; Nanishi, Y.

2010-10-01

We present a detailed study of the structural characteristics of molecular beam epitaxy grown nonpolar InN films with a- and m-plane surface orientations on r-plane sapphire and (100) γ-LiAlO2, respectively, and semipolar (101¯1) InN grown on r-plane sapphire. The on-axis rocking curve (RC) widths were found to exhibit anisotropic dependence on the azimuth angle with minima at InN [0001] for the a-plane films, and maxima at InN [0001] for the m-plane and semipolar films. The different contributions to the RC broadening are analyzed and discussed. The finite size of the crystallites and extended defects are suggested to be the dominant factors determining the RC anisotropy in a-plane InN, while surface roughness and curvature could not play a major role. Furthermore, strategy to reduce the anisotropy and magnitude of the tilt and minimize defect densities in a-plane InN films is suggested. In contrast to the nonpolar films, the semipolar InN was found to contain two domains nucleating on zinc-blende InN(111)A and InN(111)B faces. These two wurtzite domains develop with different growth rates, which was suggested to be a consequence of their different polarity. Both, a- and m-plane InN films have basal stacking fault densities similar or even lower compared to nonpolar InN grown on free-standing GaN substrates, indicating good prospects of heteroepitaxy on foreign substrates for the growth of InN-based devices.

Anisotropy of the nitrogen conduction states in the group III nitrides studied by polarized x-ray absorption

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lawniczak-Jablonska, K.; Liliental-Weber, Z.; Gullikson, E.M.

1997-04-01

Group III nitrides (AlN, GaN, and InN) consist of the semiconductors which appear recently as a basic materials for optoelectronic devices active in the visible/ultraviolet spectrum as well as high-temperature and high-power microelectronic devices. However, understanding of the basic physical properties leading to application is still not satisfactory. One of the reasons consists in unsufficient knowledge of the band structure of the considered semiconductors. Several theoretical studies of III-nitrides band structure have been published but relatively few experimental studies have been carried out, particularly with respect to their conduction band structure. This motivated the authors to examine the conduction bandmore » structure projected onto p-states of the nitrogen atoms for AlN, GaN and InN. An additional advantage of their studies is the availability of the studied nitrides in two structures, hexagonal (wurtzite) and cubic (zincblende). This offers an opportunity to gain information about the role of the anisotropy of electronic band states in determining various physical properties.« less

Reducing Mg Acceptor Activation-Energy in Al0.83Ga0.17N Disorder Alloy Substituted by Nanoscale (AlN)5/(GaN)1 Superlattice Using MgGa δ-Doping: Mg Local-Structure Effect

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhong, Hong-Xia; Shi, Jun-Jie; Zhang, Min; Jiang, Xin-He; Huang, Pu; Ding, Yi-Min

2014-10-01

Improving p-type doping efficiency in Al-rich AlGaN alloys is a worldwide problem for the realization of AlGaN-based deep ultraviolet optoelectronic devices. In order to solve this problem, we calculate Mg acceptor activation energy and investigate its relationship with Mg local structure in nanoscale (AlN)5/(GaN)1 superlattice (SL), a substitution for Al0.83Ga0.17N disorder alloy, using first-principles calculations. A universal picture to reduce acceptor activation energy in wide-gap semiconductors is given for the first time. By reducing the volume of the acceptor local structure slightly, its activation energy can be decreased remarkably. Our results show that Mg acceptor activation energy can be reduced significantly from 0.44 eV in Al0.83Ga0.17N disorder alloy to 0.26 eV, very close to the Mg acceptor activation energy in GaN, and a high hole concentration in the order of 1019 cm-3 can be obtained in (AlN)5/(GaN)1 SL by MgGa δ-doping owing to GaN-monolayer modulation. We thus open up a new way to reduce Mg acceptor activation energy and increase hole concentration in Al-rich AlGaN.

Reducing Mg Acceptor Activation-Energy in Al0.83Ga0.17N Disorder Alloy Substituted by Nanoscale (AlN)5/(GaN)1 Superlattice Using MgGa δ-Doping: Mg Local-Structure Effect

PubMed Central

Zhong, Hong-xia; Shi, Jun-jie; Zhang, Min; Jiang, Xin-he; Huang, Pu; Ding, Yi-min

2014-01-01

Improving p-type doping efficiency in Al-rich AlGaN alloys is a worldwide problem for the realization of AlGaN-based deep ultraviolet optoelectronic devices. In order to solve this problem, we calculate Mg acceptor activation energy and investigate its relationship with Mg local structure in nanoscale (AlN)5/(GaN)1 superlattice (SL), a substitution for Al0.83Ga0.17N disorder alloy, using first-principles calculations. A universal picture to reduce acceptor activation energy in wide-gap semiconductors is given for the first time. By reducing the volume of the acceptor local structure slightly, its activation energy can be decreased remarkably. Our results show that Mg acceptor activation energy can be reduced significantly from 0.44 eV in Al0.83Ga0.17N disorder alloy to 0.26 eV, very close to the Mg acceptor activation energy in GaN, and a high hole concentration in the order of 1019 cm−3 can be obtained in (AlN)5/(GaN)1 SL by MgGa δ-doping owing to GaN-monolayer modulation. We thus open up a new way to reduce Mg acceptor activation energy and increase hole concentration in Al-rich AlGaN. PMID:25338639

N-Face GaN Electronics for Heteroepitaxial and Bonded Structures

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-08-27

GaN ! ?" InGaAs’Channel’ InAlAs’ !!!!!S! !!!!!!D! !!!!G! Ga (In)N’Dri2 ’Region! Wafer* Bonded! Junc2on! !!!!!S...Gate InGaAs InAlAs (In, Ga )N Source GaN on Sapphire Aperture CBL WBI InGaN n-InGaAs InAlAs n+ GaN S D WBI...about. Polarization effects at the interface may need to be considered. For Ga -polar InGaN- GaN homojunctions,

Thermodynamic considerations of the vapor phase reactions in III-nitride metal organic vapor phase epitaxy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sekiguchi, Kazuki; Shirakawa, Hiroki; Chokawa, Kenta; Araidai, Masaaki; Kangawa, Yoshihiro; Kakimoto, Koichi; Shiraishi, Kenji

2017-04-01

We analyzed the metal organic vapor phase epitaxial growth mechanism of the III-nitride semiconductors GaN, AlN, and InN by first-principles calculations and thermodynamic analyses. In these analyses, we investigated the decomposition processes of the group III source gases X(CH3)3 (X = Ga, Al, In) at finite temperatures and determined whether the (CH3)2GaNH2 adduct can be formed or not. The results of our calculations show that the (CH3)2GaNH2 adduct cannot be formed in the gas phase in GaN metal organic vapor phase epitaxy (MOVPE), whereas, in AlN MOVPE, the formation of the (CH3)2AlNH2 adduct in the gas phase is exclusive. In the case of GaN MOVPE, trimethylgallium (TMG, [Ga(CH3)3]) decomposition into Ga gas on the growth surface with the assistance of H2 carrier gas, instead of the formation of the (CH3)2GaNH2 adduct, occurs almost exclusively. Moreover, in the case of InN MOVPE, the formation of the (CH3)2InNH2 adduct does not occur and it is relatively easy to produce In gas even without H2 in the carrier gas.

High-Quality GaN Epilayers Achieved by Facet-Controlled Epitaxial Lateral Overgrowth on Sputtered AlN/PSS Templates.

PubMed

He, Chenguang; Zhao, Wei; Zhang, Kang; He, Longfei; Wu, Hualong; Liu, Ningyang; Zhang, Shan; Liu, Xiaoyan; Chen, Zhitao

2017-12-13

It is widely believed that the lack of high-quality GaN wafers severely hinders the progress in GaN-based devices, especially for defect-sensitive devices. Here, low-cost AlN buffer layers were sputtered on cone-shaped patterned sapphire substrates (PSSs) to obtain high-quality GaN epilayers. Without any mask or regrowth, facet-controlled epitaxial lateral overgrowth was realized by metal-organic chemical vapor deposition. The uniform coating of the sputtered AlN buffer layer and the optimized multiple modulation guaranteed high growth selectivity and uniformity of the GaN epilayer. As a result, an extremely smooth surface was achieved with an average roughness of 0.17 nm over 3 × 3 μm 2 . It was found that the sputtered AlN buffer layer could significantly suppress dislocations on the cones. Moreover, the optimized three-dimensional growth process could effectively promote dislocation bending. Therefore, the threading dislocation density (TDD) of the GaN epilayer was reduced to 4.6 × 10 7 cm -2 , which is about an order of magnitude lower than the case of two-step GaN on the PSS. In addition, contamination and crack in the light-emitting diode fabricated on the obtained GaN were also effectively suppressed by using the sputtered AlN buffer layer. All of these advantages led to a high output power of 116 mW at 500 mA with an emission wavelength of 375 nm. This simple, yet effective growth technique is believed to have great application prospects in high-performance TDD-sensitive optoelectronic and electronic devices.

Influence of the AlN nucleation layer on the properties of AlGaN/GaN heterostructure on Si (1 1 1) substrates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pan, Lei; Dong, Xun; Li, Zhonghui; Luo, Weike; Ni, Jinyu

2018-07-01

AlGaN/GaN heterostructures were grown on Si (1 1 1) substrates with different AlN nucleation layers (NL) by metal-organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD). The results indicate that the growth temperature of AlN NL has a noticeable influence on the structural, electronic and optical properties of the AlGaN/GaN heterostructures. Optimizing the growth temperature to 1040 °C led to quasi-2D smooth surface of the AlN NL with providing sufficient compressive stress to suppress cracking of the subsequent GaN layer during the cooling process, resulting in improved crystalline quality of GaN layer and superior two-dimensional electron gas (2DEG) performance of the AlGaN/GaN heterostructure.

Systematic study on dynamic atomic layer epitaxy of InN on/in +c-GaN matrix and fabrication of fine-structure InN/GaN quantum wells: Impact of excess In-atoms at high growth temperature

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yoshikawa, Akihiko; Kusakabe, Kazuhide; Hashimoto, Naoki; Imai, Daichi; Hwang, Eun-Sook

2016-12-01

The growth kinetics of nominally one-monolayer (˜1-ML)-thick InN wells on/in the +c-GaN matrix fabricated using dynamic atomic layer epitaxy (D-ALEp) by plasma-assisted molecular beam epitaxy were systematically studied, with particular attention given to the impacts of excess In atoms and/or In droplets at a high growth temperature of 650 °C. Even at a constant growth temperature of 650 °C, the thickness of the sheet-island-like InN-well layers could be controlled/varied from 1-ML to 2-ML owing to the effect of excess In atoms and/or In droplets accumulated during growth. The possible growth mechanism is discussed based on the ring-shaped bright cathodoluminescence emissions introduced along the circumference of the In droplets during growth. The effective thermal stability of N atoms below the bilayer adsorbed In atoms was increased by the presence of In droplets, resulting in the freezing of 2-ML-thick InN wells into the GaN matrix. It therefore became possible to study the difference between the emission properties of 1-ML and 2-ML-thick InN wells/GaN matrix quantum wells (QWs) having similar GaN matrix crystallinity grown at the same temperature. InN/GaN QW-samples grown under widely different In + N* supply conditions characteristically separated into two groups with distinctive emission-peak wavelengths originating from 1-ML and 2-ML-thick InN wells embedded in the GaN matrix. Reflecting the growth mechanism inherent to the D-ALEp of InN on/in the +c-GaN matrix at high temperature, either 1-ML or 2-ML-thick "binary" InN well layers tended to be frozen into the GaN matrix rather InGaN random ternary-alloys. Both the structural quality and uniformity of the 1-ML InN well sample were better than those of the 2-ML InN well sample, essentially owing to the quite thin critical thickness of around 1-ML arising from the large lattice mismatch of InN and GaN.

Investigation of layered structure SAW devices fabricated using low temperature grown AlN thin film on GaN/sapphire.

PubMed

Lin, Hui-Feng; Wu, Chun-Te; Chien, Wei-Cheng; Chen, Sheng-Wen; Kao, Hui-Ling; Chyi, Jen-Inn; Chen, Jyh-Shin

2005-05-01

Epitaxial AlN films have been grown on GaN/sapphire using helicon sputtering at 300 degrees C. The surface acoustic wave (SAW) filters fabricated on AlN/GaN/sapphire exhibit more superior characteristics than those made on GaN/sapphire. This composite structure of AlN on GaN may bring about the development of high-frequency components, which integrate and use their semiconducting, optoelectronic, and piezoelectric properties.

Intersubband absorption in GaN nanowire heterostructures at mid-infrared wavelengths.

PubMed

Ajay, Akhil; Blasco, Rodrigo; Polaczynski, Jakub; Spies, Maria; den Hertog, Martien; Monroy, Eva

2018-06-27

In this paper, we study intersubband characteristics of GaN/AlN and GaN/Al0.4Ga0.6N heterostructures in GaN nanowires structurally designed to absorb in the mid-infrared wavelength region. Increasing the GaN well width from 1.5 to 5.7 nm leads to a red shift of the intersubband absorption from 1.4 to 3.4 µm. The red shift in larger quantum wells is amplified by the fact that one of the GaN/AlN heterointerfaces (corresponding to the growth of GaN on AlN) is not sharp but rather a graded alloy extending around 1.5-2 nm. Using AlGaN instead of AlN for the same barrier dimensions, we observe the effects of reduced polarization, which blue shifts the band-to-band transitions and red shifts the intersubband transitions. In heavily doped GaN/AlGaN nanowires, a broad absorption band is observed in the 4.5-6.4 µm spectral region. © 2018 IOP Publishing Ltd.

Selective-area catalyst-free MBE growth of GaN nanowires using a patterned oxide layer.

PubMed

Schumann, T; Gotschke, T; Limbach, F; Stoica, T; Calarco, R

2011-03-04

GaN nanowires (NWs) were grown selectively in holes of a patterned silicon oxide mask, by rf-plasma-assisted molecular beam epitaxy (PAMBE), without any metal catalyst. The oxide was deposited on a thin AlN buffer layer previously grown on a Si(111) substrate. Regular arrays of holes in the oxide layer were obtained using standard e-beam lithography. The selectivity of growth has been studied varying the substrate temperature, gallium beam equivalent pressure and patterning layout. Adjusting the growth parameters, GaN NWs can be selectively grown in the holes of the patterned oxide with complete suppression of the parasitic growth in between the holes. The occupation probability of a hole with a single or multiple NWs depends strongly on its diameter. The selectively grown GaN NWs have one common crystallographic orientation with respect to the Si(111) substrate via the AlN buffer layer, as proven by x-ray diffraction (XRD) measurements. Based on the experimental data, we present a schematic model of the GaN NW formation in which a GaN pedestal is initially grown in the hole.

Berkovich Nanoindentation on AlN Thin Films

PubMed Central

2010-01-01

Berkovich nanoindentation-induced mechanical deformation mechanisms of AlN thin films have been investigated by using atomic force microscopy (AFM) and cross-sectional transmission electron microscopy (XTEM) techniques. AlN thin films are deposited on the metal-organic chemical-vapor deposition (MOCVD) derived Si-doped (2 × 1017 cm−3) GaN template by using the helicon sputtering system. The XTEM samples were prepared by means of focused ion beam (FIB) milling to accurately position the cross-section of the nanoindented area. The hardness and Young’s modulus of AlN thin films were measured by a Berkovich nanoindenter operated with the continuous contact stiffness measurements (CSM) option. The obtained values of the hardness and Young’s modulus are 22 and 332 GPa, respectively. The XTEM images taken in the vicinity regions just underneath the indenter tip revealed that the multiple “pop-ins” observed in the load–displacement curve during loading are due primarily to the activities of dislocation nucleation and propagation. The absence of discontinuities in the unloading segments of load–displacement curve suggests that no pressure-induced phase transition was involved. Results obtained in this study may also have technological implications for estimating possible mechanical damages induced by the fabrication processes of making the AlN-based devices. PMID:20672096

Berkovich Nanoindentation on AlN Thin Films.

PubMed

Jian, Sheng-Rui; Chen, Guo-Ju; Lin, Ting-Chun

2010-03-31

Berkovich nanoindentation-induced mechanical deformation mechanisms of AlN thin films have been investigated by using atomic force microscopy (AFM) and cross-sectional transmission electron microscopy (XTEM) techniques. AlN thin films are deposited on the metal-organic chemical-vapor deposition (MOCVD) derived Si-doped (2 × 1017 cm-3) GaN template by using the helicon sputtering system. The XTEM samples were prepared by means of focused ion beam (FIB) milling to accurately position the cross-section of the nanoindented area. The hardness and Young's modulus of AlN thin films were measured by a Berkovich nanoindenter operated with the continuous contact stiffness measurements (CSM) option. The obtained values of the hardness and Young's modulus are 22 and 332 GPa, respectively. The XTEM images taken in the vicinity regions just underneath the indenter tip revealed that the multiple "pop-ins" observed in the load-displacement curve during loading are due primarily to the activities of dislocation nucleation and propagation. The absence of discontinuities in the unloading segments of load-displacement curve suggests that no pressure-induced phase transition was involved. Results obtained in this study may also have technological implications for estimating possible mechanical damages induced by the fabrication processes of making the AlN-based devices.

Defect-related photoluminescence in Mg-doped GaN nanostructures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Reshchikov, M. A.; Shahedipour-Sandvik, F.; Messer, B. J.; Jindal, V.; Tripathi, N.; Tungare, M.

2009-12-01

Thin film of GaN:Mg, pyramidal GaN:Mg on GaN, sapphire and AlN substrates were grown in a MOCVD system under same growth conditions and at the same time. In samples with Mg-doped GaN pyramids on GaN:Si template a strong ultraviolet (UVL) band with few phonon replicas dominated at low temperature and was attributed to transitions from shallow donors to shallow Mg acceptor. In samples grown on sapphire and AlN substrates the UVL band appeared as a structureless band with the maximum at about 3.25 eV. There is a possibility that the structureless UVL band and the UVL band with phonon structure have different origin. In addition to the UVL band, the blue luminescence (BL) band peaking at 2.9 eV was observed in samples representing GaN:Mg pyramids on GaN:Si substrate. It is preliminary attributed to transitions from shallow donors to Zn acceptor in GaN:Si substrate.

In-situ SiN{sub x}/InN structures for InN field-effect transistors

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Zervos, Ch., E-mail: hzervos@physics.uoc.gr; Georgakilas, A.; Department of Physics, University of Crete, P.O. Box 2208, GR-71003 Heraklion, Crete

Critical aspects of InN channel field-effect transistors (FETs) have been investigated. SiN{sub x} dielectric layers were deposited in-situ, in the molecular beam epitaxy system, on the surface of 2 nm InN layers grown on GaN (0001) buffer layers. Metal-insulator-semiconductor Ni/SiN{sub x}/InN capacitors were analyzed by capacitance-voltage (C-V) and current-voltage measurements and were used as gates in InN FET transistors (MISFETs). Comparison of the experimental C-V results with self-consistent Schrödinger-Poisson calculations indicates the presence of a positive charge at the SiN{sub x}/InN interface of Q{sub if} ≈ 4.4 – 4.8 × 10{sup 13 }cm{sup −2}, assuming complete InN strain relaxation. Operation of InN MISFETs was demonstrated, but their performancemore » was limited by a catastrophic breakdown at drain-source voltages above 2.5–3.0 V, the low electron mobility, and high series resistances of the structures.« less

Growth of Single Crystals and Fabrication of GaN and AlN Wafers

DTIC Science & Technology

2006-03-01

Chemical Physics of Solid Surfaces and Heterogeneous Catalysis, Synthesis and Decomposition of Ammonia ", 4, Elsevier Scientific Publishing Company...Solid Surfaces and Heterogeneous Catalysis, Synthesis and Decomposition of Ammonia ", 4, Elsevier Scientific Publishing Company, Amsterdam (1982). 119...GaN(s), (2) Ga(g) + _ N2(g) = GaN(s) 93 APPENDIX C: AMMONIA DECOMPOSITION Despite the apparent simplicity of the GaN synthesis from elemental Ga and

Microwave annealing of Mg-implanted and in situ Be-doped GaN

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aluri, Geetha S.; Gowda, Madhu; Mahadik, Nadeemullah A.; Sundaresan, Siddarth G.; Rao, Mulpuri V.; Schreifels, John A.; Freitas, J. A.; Qadri, S. B.; Tian, Y.-L.

2010-10-01

An ultrafast microwave annealing method, different from conventional thermal annealing, is used to activate Mg-implants in GaN layer. The x-ray diffraction measurements indicated complete disappearance of the defect sublattice peak, introduced by the implantation process for single-energy Mg-implantation, when the annealing was performed at ≥1400 °C for 15 s. An increase in the intensity of Mg-acceptor related luminescence peak (at 3.26 eV) in the photoluminescence spectra confirms the Mg-acceptor activation in single-energy Mg-implanted GaN. In case of multiple-energy implantation, the implant generated defects persisted even after 1500 °C/15 s annealing, resulting in no net Mg-acceptor activation of the Mg-implant. The Mg-implant is relatively thermally stable and the sample surface roughness is 6 nm after 1500 °C/15 s annealing, using a 600 nm thick AlN cap. In situ Be-doped GaN films, after 1300 °C/5 s annealing have shown Be out-diffusion into the AlN layer and also in-diffusion toward the GaN/SiC interface. The in-diffusion and out-diffusion of the Be increased with increasing annealing temperature. In fact, after 1500 °C/5 s annealing, only a small fraction of in situ doped Be remained in the GaN layer, revealing the inadequateness of using Be-implantation for forming p-type doped layers in the GaN.

Metalorganic vapor phase epitaxy of AlN on sapphire with low etch pit density

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Koleske, D. D.; Figiel, J. J.; Alliman, D. L.; Gunning, B. P.; Kempisty, J. M.; Creighton, J. R.; Mishima, A.; Ikenaga, K.

2017-06-01

Using metalorganic vapor phase epitaxy, methods were developed to achieve AlN films on sapphire with low etch pit density (EPD). Key to this achievement was using the same AlN growth recipe and only varying the pre-growth conditioning of the quartz-ware. After AlN growth, the quartz-ware was removed from the growth chamber and either exposed to room air or moved into the N2 purged glove box and exposed to H2O vapor. After the quartz-ware was exposed to room air or H2O, the AlN film growth was found to be more reproducible, resulting in films with (0002) and (10-12) x-ray diffraction (XRD) rocking curve linewidths of 200 and 500 arc sec, respectively, and EPDs < 100 cm-2. The EPD was found to correlate with (0002) linewidths, suggesting that the etch pits are associated with open core screw dislocations similar to GaN films. Once reproducible AlN conditions were established using the H2O pre-treatment, it was found that even small doses of trimethylaluminum (TMAl)/NH3 on the quartz-ware surfaces generated AlN films with higher EPDs. The presence of these residual TMAl/NH3-derived coatings in metalorganic vapor phase epitaxy (MOVPE) systems and their impact on the sapphire surface during heating might explain why reproducible growth of AlN on sapphire is difficult.

On compensation in Si-doped AlN

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Harris, Joshua S.; Baker, Jonathon N.; Gaddy, Benjamin E.; Bryan, Isaac; Bryan, Zachary; Mirrielees, Kelsey J.; Reddy, Pramod; Collazo, Ramón; Sitar, Zlatko; Irving, Douglas L.

2018-04-01

Controllable n-type doping over wide ranges of carrier concentrations in AlN, or Al-rich AlGaN, is critical to realizing next-generation applications in high-power electronics and deep UV light sources. Silicon is not a hydrogenic donor in AlN as it is in GaN; despite this, the carrier concentration should be controllable, albeit less efficiently, by increasing the donor concentration during growth. At low doping levels, an increase in the Si content leads to a commensurate increase in free electrons. Problematically, this trend does not persist to higher doping levels. In fact, a further increase in the Si concentration leads to a decrease in free electron concentration; this is commonly referred to as the compensation knee. While the nature of this decrease has been attributed to a variety of compensating defects, the mechanism and identity of the predominant defects associated with the knee have not been conclusively determined. Density functional theory calculations using hybrid exchange-correlation functionals have identified VAl+n SiAl complexes as central to mechanistically understanding compensation in the high Si limit in AlN, while secondary impurities and vacancies tend to dominate compensation in the low Si limit. The formation energies and optical signatures of these defects in AlN are calculated and utilized in a grand canonical charge balance solver to identify carrier concentrations as a function of Si content. The results were found to qualitatively reproduce the experimentally observed compensation knee. Furthermore, these calculations predict a shift in the optical emissions present in the high and low doping limits, which is confirmed with detailed photoluminescence measurements.

The influence of AlN interlayers on the microstructural and electrical properties of p-type AlGaN/GaN superlattices grown on GaN/sapphire templates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Lei; Liu, Lei; Wang, Lei; Li, Ding; Song, Jie; Liu, Ningyang; Chen, Weihua; Wang, Yuzhou; Yang, Zhijian; Hu, Xiaodong

2012-09-01

AlN with different thicknesses were grown as interlayers (ILs) between GaN and p-type Al0.15Ga0.85N/GaN superlattices (SLs) by metal organic vapor phase epitaxy (MOVPE). It was found that the edge-type threading dislocation density (TDD) increased gradually from the minimum of 2.5×109 cm-2 without AlN IL to the maximum of 1×1010 cm-2 at an AlN thickness of 20 nm, while the screw-type TDD remained almost unchanged due to the interface-related TD suppression and regeneration mechanism. We obtained that the edge-type dislocations acted as acceptors in p-type Al x Ga1- x N/GaN SLs, through the comparison of the edge-type TDD and hole concentration with different thicknesses of AlN IL. The Mg activation energy was significantly decreased from 153 to 70 meV with a 10-nm AlN IL, which was attributed to the strain modulation between AlGaN barrier and GaN well. The large activation efficiency, together with the TDs, led to the enhanced hole concentration. The variation trend of Hall mobility was also observed, which originated from the scattering at TDs.

In-situ cyclic pulse annealing of InN on AlN/Si during IR-lamp-heated MBE growth

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Suzuki, Akira; Bungi, Yu; Araki, Tsutomu; Nanishi, Yasushi; Mori, Yasuaki; Yamamoto, Hiroaki; Harima, Hiroshi

2009-05-01

To improve crystal quality of InN, an in-situ cyclic rapid pulse annealing during growth was carried out using infrared-lamp-heated molecular beam epitaxy. A cycle of 4 min growth of InN at 400 °C and 3 s pulse annealing at a higher temperature was repeated 15 times on AlN on Si substrate. Annealing temperatures were 550, 590, 620, and 660 °C. The back of Si was directly heated by lamp irradiation through a quartz rod. A total InN film thickness was about 200 nm. With increasing annealing temperature up to 620 °C, crystal grain size by scanning electron microscope showed a tendency to increase, while widths of X-ray diffraction rocking curve of (0 0 0 2) reflection and E 2 (high) mode peak of Raman scattering spectra decreased. A peak of In (1 0 1) appeared in X-ray diffraction by annealing higher than 590 °C, and In droplets were found on the surface by annealing at 660 °C.

Growth kinetics and island evolution during double-pulsed molecular beam epitaxy of InN

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kraus, A.; Hein, C.; Bremers, H.

The kinetic processes of InN growth using alternating source fluxes with sub-monolayer In pulses in plasma-assisted molecular beam epitaxy have been investigated. Growth at various temperatures reveals the existence of two growth regimes. While growth at low temperatures is solely governed by surface diffusion, a combination of decomposition, desorption, and diffusion becomes decisive at growth temperatures of 470 °C and above. At this critical temperature, the surface morphology changes from a grainy structure to a structure made of huge islands. The formation of those islands is attributed to the development of an indium adlayer, which can be observed via reflection highmore » energy electron diffraction monitoring. Based on the growth experiments conducted at temperatures below T{sub Growth} = 470 °C, an activation energy for diffusion of 0.54 ± 0.02 eV has been determined from the decreasing InN island density. A comparison between growth on metalorganic vapor phase epitaxy GaN templates and pseudo bulk GaN indicates that step edges and dislocations are favorable nucleation sites. Based on the results, we developed a growth model, which describes the main mechanisms of the growth.« less

Polarization engineered enhancement mode GaN HEMT: Design and investigation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Verma, Sumit; Loan, Sajad A.; Alharbi, Abdullah G.

2018-07-01

In this paper, we propose and perform the experimentally calibrated simulation of a novel structure of a GaN/AlGaN high electron mobility transistor (HEMT). The novelty of the structure is the realization of enhancement mode operation by employing polarization engineering approach. In the proposed polarization engineered HEMT (PE-HEMT) a buried Aluminum Nitride (AlN) box is employed in the GaN layer just below the gate. The AlN box creates a two-dimensional hole gas (2DHG) at the GaN/AlN interface, which creates a conduction band barrier in the path of the already existing two-dimensional electron gas (2DEG) at GaN/AlGaN. Therefore, there is no direct path between the source and drain regions at zero gate voltage due to the barrier created by AIN and the device is initially OFF, an enhancement mode operation. A two dimensional (2D) calibrated simulation study of proposed PE-HEMT shows that the device has a threshold voltage (Vth) of 2.3 V. The PE-HEMT also reduces the electron spillover and thus improves the breakdown voltage by 108% as compared to conventional HEMT. The thermal analysis of the GaN PE-HEMT shows that a hot zone occurs on the drain side gate edge. It has been observed that the drain current in the PE-HEMT structure can be improved by 157% by using AlN heat sink.

MBE Growth of InN/GaN(0001) and Shape Transitions of InN islands

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cao, Yongge; Xie, Maohai; Liu, Ying; Ng, Y. F.

2003-03-01

Plasma-assisted molecular-beam epitaxial growth of InN on GaN(0001) is investigated. Both layer-by-layer and Stranski-Krastanov (SK) growth modes are observed under different growth windows. Strain relaxation is studied by real-time recording of the in-plane lattice spacing evolutions on RHEED pattern, which suggest a gradual relaxation of the strain in InN film commenced during the first bilayer (BL) deposition and almost completed after 2-4 BLs. For SK growth, 3D islanding initiates after the strain has mostly been relieved, presumably by dislocations. Based on statistical analysis, the shape transitions of 3D islands are firstly observed in the III-nitrides system. The InN islands transform gradually from pyramids to platelets with increasing of In flux. Under In-rich growth condition, the reverse trend of island shape evolution dependence on volume size, compared with Equilibrium Crystal Shape (ECS) theory, is induced by the Indium self-surfactant effects, in which Indium adlayer on the top surface of InN islands will depress the thermodynamic driving force for the vertical growth of 3D islands. Lateral growth of 3D islands is not only the result of kinetic process but also favored by thermodynamics while Indium self-surfactant exist.

Coating MCPs with AlN and GaN

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bensaoula, Abdelhakim; Starikov, David; Boney, Chris

2006-01-01

A development effort underway at the time of reporting the information for this article is devoted to increasing the sensitivity of microchannel plates (MCPs) as detectors of photons and ions by coating the MCPs with nitrides of elements in period III of the periodic table. Conventional MCPs are relatively insensitive to slowly moving, large-mass ions for example, ions of biomolecules under analysis in mass spectrometers. The idea underlying this development is to coat an MCP to reduce its work function (decrease its electron affinity) in order to increase both (1) the emission of electrons in response to impingement of low-energy, large-mass ions and (2) the multiplying effect of secondary electron emission. Of particular interest as coating materials having appropriately low or even negative electron affinities are gallium nitride, aluminum nitride, and ternary alloys of general composition Al(x)Ga(1-x)N (where 0AlN and GaN both undoped and doped with Si were deposited on commercial MCPs by radio-frequency molecular-beam epitaxy (also known as plasma-assisted molecular-beam epitaxy) at temperatures <200 C. This deposition technique is particularly suitable because (1) MCPs cannot withstand the higher deposition-substrate temperatures used to decompose constituent compounds in some other deposition techniques and (2) in this technique, the constituent Al, Ga, and N

First-Principles Study of Defects in GaN

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-07-29

This means both Mg and Be are not suitable p-type dopants in AlN. c) We have calculated the Ga Frenkel pairs (interstitial Ga and gallium vacancy... gallium vacancy complexes) in GaN. We studied both the stability of the pair at different separations and the barriers for the pair to form/disintegrate...high in energy than vacancy defects, especially for covalent materials. However, in ionic materials the charged interstitial defects can have low

RBS/Channeling Studies of Swift Heavy Ion Irradiated GaN Layers

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sathish, N.; Dhamodaran, S.; Pathak, A. P.

2009-03-10

Epitaxial GaN layers grown by MOCVD on c-plane sapphire substrates were irradiated with 150 MeV Ag ions at a fluence of 5x10{sup 12} ions/cm{sup 2}. Samples used in this study are 2 {mu}m thick GaN layers, with and without a thin AlN cap-layer. Energy dependent RBS/Channeling measurements have been carried out on both irradiated and unirradiated samples for defects characterization. Observed results are compared and correlated with previous HRXRD, AFM and optical studies. The {chi}{sub min} values for unirradiated samples show very high value and the calculated defect densities are of the order of 10{sup 10} cm{sup -2} as expectedmore » in these samples. Effects of irradiation on these samples are different as initial samples had different defect densities. Epitaxial reconstruction of GaN buffer layer has been attributed to the observed changes, which are generally grown to reduce the strain between GaN and Sapphire.« less

Lateral polarity control of III-nitride thin film and application in GaN Schottky barrier diode

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Junmei; Guo, Wei; Sheikhi, Moheb; Li, Hongwei; Bo, Baoxue; Ye, Jichun

2018-05-01

N-polar and III-polar GaN and AlN epitaxial thin films grown side by side on single sapphire substrate was reported. Surface morphology, wet etching susceptibility and bi-axial strain conditions were investigated and the polarity control scheme was utilized in the fabrication of Schottky barrier diode where ohmic contact and Schottky contact were deposited on N-polar domains and Ga-polar domains, respectively. The influence of N-polarity on on-state resistivity and I–V characteristic was discussed, demonstrating that lateral polarity structure of GaN and AlN can be widely used in new designs of optoelectronic and electronic devices. Project partially supported by the National Key Research and Development Program of China (No. 2016YFB0400802), the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 61704176), and the Open project of Zhejiang Key Laboratory for Advanced Microelectronic Intelligent Systems and Applications (No. ZJUAMIS1704).

Native defect properties and p -type doping efficiency in group-IIA doped wurtzite AlN

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Yong; Liu, Wen; Niu, Hanben

2008-01-01

Using the first-principles full-potential linearized augmented plane-wave (FPLAPW) method based on density functional theory (DFT), we have investigated the native defect properties and p -type doping efficiency in AlN doped with group-IIA elements such as Be, Mg, and Ca. It is shown that nitrogen vacancies (VN) have low formation energies and introduce deep donor levels in wurtzite AlN, while in zinc blende AlN and GaN, these levels are reported to be shallow. The calculated acceptor levels γ(0/-) for substitutional Be (BeAl) , Mg (MgAl) , and Ca (CaAl) are 0.48, 0.58, and 0.95eV , respectively. In p -type AlN, Be interstitials (Bei) , which act as donors, have low formation energies, making them a likely compensating center in the case of acceptor doping. Whereas, when N-rich growth conditions are applied, Bei are energetically not favorable. It is found that p -type doping efficiency of substitutional Be, Mg, and Ca impurities in w-AlN is affected by atomic size and electronegativity of dopants. Among the three dopants, Be may be the best candidate for p -type w-AlN . N-rich growth conditions help us to increase the concentration of BeAl , MgAl , and CaAl .

Cl 2-based dry etching of the AlGaInN system in inductively coupled plasmas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cho, Hyun; Vartuli, C. B.; Abernathy, C. R.; Donovan, S. M.; Pearton, S. J.; Shul, R. J.; Han, J.

1998-12-01

Cl 2-Based inductively coupled plasmas with low additional d.c. self-biases (-100 V) produce convenient etch rates (500-1500 Å·min -1) for GaN, AlN, InN, InAlN and InGaN. A systematic study of the effects of additive gas (Ar, N 2, H 2), discharge composition and ICP source power and chuck power on etch rate and surface morphology has been performed. The general trends are to go through a maximum in etch rate with percent Cl 2 in the discharge for all three mixtures and to have an increase (decrease) in etch rate with source power (pressure). Since the etching is strongly ion-assisted, anisotropic pattern transfer is readily achieved. Maximum etch selectivities of approximately 6 for InN over the other nitrides were obtained.

MBE growth and optical properties of GaN layers on SiC/Si(111) hybrid substrate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Reznik, R. R.; Kotlyar, K. P.; Soshnikov, I. P.; Kukushkin, S. A.; Osipov, A. V.; Nikitina, E. V.; Cirlin, G. E.

2017-11-01

The fundamental possibility of the growth of GaN layers by molecular-beam epitaxy on a silicon substrate with nanoscale buffer layer of silicon carbide without any AlN layers has been demonstrated for the first time. Morphological properties of the resulting system have been studied.

Vertically integrated (Ga, In)N nanostructures for future single photon emitters operating in the telecommunication wavelength range

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Winden, A.; Mikulics, M.; Grützmacher, D.; Hardtdegen, H.

2013-10-01

Important technological steps are discussed and realized for future room-temperature operation of III-nitride single photon emitters. First, the growth technology of positioned single pyramidal InN nanostructures capped by Mg-doped GaN is presented. The optimization of their optical characteristics towards narrowband emission in the telecommunication wavelength range is demonstrated. In addition, a device concept and technology was developed so that the nanostructures became singularly addressable. It was found that the nanopyramids emit in the telecommunication wavelength range if their size is chosen appropriately. A p-GaN contacting layer was successfully produced as a cap to the InN pyramids and the top p-contact was achievable using an intrinsically conductive polymer PEDOT:PSS, allowing a 25% increase in light transmittance compared to standard Ni/Au contact technology. Single nanopyramids were successfully integrated into a high-frequency device layout. These decisive technology steps provide a promising route to electrically driven and room-temperature operating InN based single photon emitters in the telecommunication wavelength range.

Electronic and Optical Properties of Two-Dimensional GaN from First-Principles.

PubMed

Sanders, Nocona; Bayerl, Dylan; Shi, Guangsha; Mengle, Kelsey A; Kioupakis, Emmanouil

2017-12-13

Gallium nitride (GaN) is an important commercial semiconductor for solid-state lighting applications. Atomically thin GaN, a recently synthesized two-dimensional material, is of particular interest because the extreme quantum confinement enables additional control of its light-emitting properties. We performed first-principles calculations based on density functional and many-body perturbation theory to investigate the electronic, optical, and excitonic properties of monolayer and bilayer two-dimensional (2D) GaN as a function of strain. Our results demonstrate that light emission from monolayer 2D GaN is blueshifted into the deep ultraviolet range, which is promising for sterilization and water-purification applications. Light emission from bilayer 2D GaN occurs at a similar wavelength to its bulk counterpart due to the cancellation of the effect of quantum confinement on the optical gap by the quantum-confined Stark shift. Polarized light emission at room temperature is possible via uniaxial in-plane strain, which is desirable for energy-efficient display applications. We compare the electronic and optical properties of freestanding two-dimensional GaN to atomically thin GaN wells embedded within AlN barriers in order to understand how the functional properties are influenced by the presence of barriers. Our results provide microscopic understanding of the electronic and optical characteristics of GaN at the few-layer regime.

Current conduction mechanism and electrical break-down in InN grown on GaN

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kuzmik, J.; Fleury, C.; Adikimenakis, A.; Gregušová, D.; Ťapajna, M.; Dobročka, E.; Haščík, Š.; Kučera, M.; Kúdela, R.; Androulidaki, M.; Pogany, D.; Georgakilas, A.

2017-06-01

Current conduction mechanism, including electron mobility, electron drift velocity (vd) and electrical break-down have been investigated in a 0.5 μm-thick (0001) InN layer grown by molecular-beam epitaxy on a GaN/sapphire template. Electron mobility (μ) of 1040 cm2/Vs and a free electron concentration (n) of 2.1 × 1018 cm-3 were measured at room temperature with only a limited change down to 20 K, suggesting scattering on dislocations and ionized impurities. Photoluminescence spectra and high-resolution X-ray diffraction correlated with the Hall experiment showing an emission peak at 0.69 eV, a full-width half-maximum of 30 meV, and a dislocation density Ndis ˜ 5.6 × 1010 cm-2. Current-voltage (I-V) characterization was done in a pulsed (10 ns-width) mode on InN resistors prepared by plasma processing and Ohmic contacts evaporation. Resistors with a different channel length ranging from 4 to 15.8 μm obeyed the Ohm law up to an electric field intensity Eknee ˜ 22 kV/cm, when vd ≥ 2.5 × 105 m/s. For higher E, I-V curves were nonlinear and evolved with time. Light emission with a photon energy > 0.7 eV has been observed already at modest Erad of ˜ 8.3 kV/cm and consequently, a trap-assisted interband tunneling was suggested to play a role. At Eknee ˜ 22 kV/cm, we assumed electron emission from traps, with a positive feed-back for the current enhancement. Catastrophic break-down appeared at E ˜ 25 kV/cm. Reduction of Ndis was suggested to fully exploit InN unique prospects for future high-frequency devices.

GaN membrane MSM ultraviolet photodetectors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Muller, A.; Konstantinidis, G.; Kostopoulos, A.; Dragoman, M.; Neculoiu, D.; Androulidaki, M.; Kayambaki, M.; Vasilache, D.; Buiculescu, C.; Petrini, I.

2006-12-01

GaN exhibits unique physical properties, which make this material very attractive for wide range of applications and among them ultraviolet detection. For the first time a MSM type UV photodetector structure was manufactured on a 2.2 μm. thick GaN membrane obtained using micromachining techniques. The low unintentionally doped GaN layer structure was grown by MOCVD on high resistivity (ρ>10kΩcm) <111> oriented silicon wafers, 500μm thick. The epitaxially grown layers include a thin AlN layer in order to reduce the stress in the GaN layer and avoid cracking. Conventional contact lithography, e-gun Ni/Au (10nm /200nm) evaporation and lift-off techniques were used to define the interdigitated Schottky metalization on the top of the wafer. Ten digits with a width of 1μm and a length of 100μm were defined for each electrode. The distance between the digits was also 1μm. After the backside lapping of the wafer to a thickness of approximately 150μm, a 400nm thick Al layer was patterned and deposited on the backside, to be used as mask for the selective reactive ion etching of silicon. The backside mask, for the membrane formation, was patterned using double side alignment techniques and silicon was etched down to the 2.2μm thin GaN layer using SF 6 plasma. A very low dark current (30ρA at 3V) was obtained. Optical responsivity measurements were performed at 1.5V. A maximum responsivity of 18mA/W was obtained at a wavelength of 370nm. This value is very good and can be further improved using transparent contacts for the interdigitated structure.

Analysis of channel confined selective area growth in evolutionary growth of GaN on SiO 2

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Leung, Benjamin; Tsai, Miao-Chan; Song, Jie

2015-09-01

Here, we analyze the chemical vapor deposition of semiconductor crystals by selective area growth in a non-planar geometry. Specifically, the growth process in laterally and vertically confined masks forming single-crystal GaN on SiO2 by metal-organic chemical vapor deposition is considered in detail. A textured AlN seed is used to initiate growth of oriented GaN selectively through the mask, allowing the reduction of degrees of freedom by the evolutionary grain selection process. As shown by measurements of growth rates within the mask, the sub micron length scale of the channel opening is comparable to the mean free path of precursors inmore » the gas phase, resulting in transport characteristics that can be described by an intermediate flow regime between continuum and free-molecular. Mass transport is modeled through kinetic theory to explain the growth rate enhancements of more than a factor of two by changes in reactor pressure. The growth conditions that enable the modification of nucleation density within the channel are then discussed, and are measured by electron-back scatter diffraction of the nucleated grains on the AlN seed. Finally, the selectivity behavior using the low fill factor masks needed in these configurations has been optimized by control of precursor flow rates and the H2 enhanced etching of the polycrystalline GaN nuclei.« less

An investigation of GaN thin films on AlN on sapphire substrate by sol-gel spin coating method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Amin, Nur Fahana Mohd; Ng, Sha Shiong

2017-12-01

In this research, the gallium nitride (GaN) thin films were deposited on aluminium nitride on sapphire (AlN/Al2O3) substrate by sol-gel spin coating method. Simple ethanol-based precursor with the addition of diethanolamine solution was used. The structural and morphology properties of synthesized GaN thin films were characterized by using X-ray Diffraction, Field-Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy and Atomic Force Microscopy. While the elemental compositions and the lattice vibrational properties of the films were investigated by means of the Energy Dispersive X-ray spectroscopy and Raman spectroscopy. All the results revealed that the wurtzite structure GaN thin films with GaN(002) preferred orientation and smooth surface morphology were successfully grown on AlN/Al2O3 substrate by using inexpensive and simplified sol-gel spin coating technique. The sol-gel spin coated GaN thin film with lowest oxygen content was also achieved.FESEM images show that GaN thin films with uniform and packed grains were formed. Based on the obtained results, it can be concluded that wurtzite structure GaN thin films were successfully deposited on AlN/Al2O3 substrate.

Effects of GaN/AlGaN/Sputtered AlN nucleation layers on performance of GaN-based ultraviolet light-emitting diodes

PubMed Central

Hu, Hongpo; Zhou, Shengjun; Liu, Xingtong; Gao, Yilin; Gui, Chengqun; Liu, Sheng

2017-01-01

We report on the demonstration of GaN-based ultraviolet light-emitting diodes (UV LEDs) emitting at 375 nm grown on patterned sapphire substrate (PSS) with in-situ low temperature GaN/AlGaN nucleation layers (NLs) and ex-situ sputtered AlN NL. The threading dislocation (TD) densities in GaN-based UV LEDs with GaN/AlGaN/sputtered AlN NLs were determined by high-resolution X-ray diffraction (XRD) and cross-sectional transmission electron microscopy (TEM), which revealed that the TD density in UV LED with AlGaN NL was the highest, whereas that in UV LED with sputtered AlN NL was the lowest. The light output power (LOP) of UV LED with AlGaN NL was 18.2% higher than that of UV LED with GaN NL owing to a decrease in the absorption of 375 nm UV light in the AlGaN NL with a larger bandgap. Using a sputtered AlN NL instead of the AlGaN NL, the LOP of UV LED was further enhanced by 11.3%, which is attributed to reduced TD density in InGaN/AlInGaN active region. In the sputtered AlN thickness range of 10–25 nm, the LOP of UV LED with 15-nm-thick sputtered AlN NL was the highest, revealing that optimum thickness of the sputtered AlN NL is around 15 nm. PMID:28294166

High Temperature Annealing of MBE-grown Mg-doped GaN

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Contreras, S.; Konczewicz, L.; Peyre, H.; Juillaguet, S.; Khalfioui, M. Al; Matta, S.; Leroux, M.; Damilano, B.; Brault, J.

2017-06-01

In this report, are shown the results of high temperature resistivity and Hall Effect studies of Mg-doped GaN epilayers. The samples studied were grown on (0001) (c-plane) sapphire by molecular beam epitaxy and 0.5 μm GaN:Mg layers have been achieved on low temperature buffers of GaN (30 nm) and AlN ( 150 nm). The experiments were carried out in the temperature range from 300 K up to 900 K. Up to about 870 K a typical thermally activated conduction process has been observed with the activation energy value EA = 215 meV. However, for higher temperatures, an annealing effect is observed in all the investigated samples. The increase of the free carrier concentration as a function of time leads to an irreversible decrease of sample resistivity of more than 60%.

InN island shape and its dependence on growth condition of molecular-beam epitaxy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cao, Y. G.; Xie, M. H.; Liu, Y.; Ng, Y. F.; Wu, H. S.; Tong, S. Y.

2003-12-01

During molecular-beam epitaxy of InN films on GaN(0001) surface, three-dimensional (3D) islands are observed following an initial wetting layer formation. Depending on deposition condition, the 3D islands take different shapes. Pyramidal islands form when excess nitrogen fluxes are used, whereas pillar-shaped islands are obtained when excess indium fluxes are employed. The pillar-shaped islands are identified to represent the equilibrium shape, whereas the pyramidal ones are limited by kinetics. As the size of islands increases, their aspect ratio shows a decreasing trend, which is attributed to a gradual relaxation of strain in the layer by defects.

Electrical properties of dislocations in III-Nitrides

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cavalcoli, D.; Minj, A.; Pandey, S.; Cavallini, A.

2014-02-01

Research on GaN, AlN, InN (III-N) and their alloys is achieving new heights due their high potential applications in photonics and electronics. III-N semiconductors are mostly grown epitaxially on sapphire, and due to the large lattice mismatch and the differences in the thermal expansion coefficients, the structures usually contain many threading dislocations (TDs). While their structural properties have been widely investigated, their electrical characteristics and their role in the transport properties of the devices are still debated. In the present contribution we will show conductive AFM studies of TDs in GaN and Al/In GaN ternary alloys to evidence the role of strain, different surface polarity and composition on their electrical properties. Local I-V curves measured at TDs allowed us to clarify their role in the macroscopic electrical properties (leakage current, mobilities) of III-N based devices. Samples obtained by different growers (AIXTRON, III-V Lab) were studied. The comparison between the results obtained in the different alloys allowed us to understand the role of In and Al on the TDs electrical properties.

Effects of GaN interlayer on the transport properties of lattice-matched AlInN/AlN/GaN heterostructures

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wu, F.; Gao, K. H., E-mail: khgao@tju.edu.cn; Li, Z. Q.

2015-04-21

We study the effects of GaN interlayer on the transport properties of two-dimensional electron gases confined in lattice-matched AlInN/AlN/GaN heterostructures. It is found that the Hall mobility is evidently enhanced when an additional ultrathin GaN interlayer is introduced between AlInN and AlN layers. The enhancement of the Hall mobility is especially remarkable at low temperature. The high Hall mobility results in a low sheet resistance of 23 Ω/◻ at 2 K. Meanwhile, Shubnikov-de Haas oscillations (SdH) are also remarkably enhanced due to the existence of GaN interlayer. The enhancement of the SdH oscillations is related to the larger quantum mobility μ{sub q}more » owing to the suppression of the interface roughness, alloy disorder, and ionized impurity scatterings by the GaN interlayer.« less

Luminescence properties of defects in GaN

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Reshchikov, Michael A.; Morkoç, Hadis

2005-03-01

Gallium nitride (GaN) and its allied binaries InN and AIN as well as their ternary compounds have gained an unprecedented attention due to their wide-ranging applications encompassing green, blue, violet, and ultraviolet (UV) emitters and detectors (in photon ranges inaccessible by other semiconductors) and high-power amplifiers. However, even the best of the three binaries, GaN, contains many structural and point defects caused to a large extent by lattice and stacking mismatch with substrates. These defects notably affect the electrical and optical properties of the host material and can seriously degrade the performance and reliability of devices made based on these nitride semiconductors. Even though GaN broke the long-standing paradigm that high density of dislocations precludes acceptable device performance, point defects have taken the center stage as they exacerbate efforts to increase the efficiency of emitters, increase laser operation lifetime, and lead to anomalies in electronic devices. The point defects include native isolated defects (vacancies, interstitial, and antisites), intentional or unintentional impurities, as well as complexes involving different combinations of the isolated defects. Further improvements in device performance and longevity hinge on an in-depth understanding of point defects and their reduction. In this review a comprehensive and critical analysis of point defects in GaN, particularly their manifestation in luminescence, is presented. In addition to a comprehensive analysis of native point defects, the signatures of intentionally and unintentionally introduced impurities are addressed. The review discusses in detail the characteristics and the origin of the major luminescence bands including the ultraviolet, blue, green, yellow, and red bands in undoped GaN. The effects of important group-II impurities, such as Zn and Mg on the photoluminescence of GaN, are treated in detail. Similarly, but to a lesser extent, the effects of

Pure AlN layers in metal-polar AlGaN/AlN/GaN and AlN/GaN heterostructures grown by low-temperature ammonia-based molecular beam epitaxy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kaun, Stephen W.; Mazumder, Baishakhi; Fireman, Micha N.; Kyle, Erin C. H.; Mishra, Umesh K.; Speck, James S.

2015-05-01

When grown at a high temperature (820 °C) by ammonia-based molecular beam epitaxy (NH3-MBE), the AlN layers of metal-polar AlGaN/AlN/GaN heterostructures had a high GaN mole fraction (∼0.15), as identified by atom probe tomography in a previous study (Mazumder et al 2013 Appl. Phys. Lett. 102 111603). In the study presented here, growth at low temperature (<740 °C) by NH3-MBE yielded metal-polar AlN layers that were essentially pure at the alloy level. The improved purity of the AlN layers grown at low temperature was correlated to a dramatic increase in the sheet density of the two-dimensional electron gas (2DEG) at the AlN/GaN heterointerface. Through application of an In surfactant, metal-polar AlN(3.5 nm)/GaN and AlGaN/AlN(2.5 nm)/GaN heterostructures grown at low temperature yielded low 2DEG sheet resistances of 177 and 285 Ω/□, respectively.

MOVPE growth of violet GaN LEDs on β-Ga2O3 substrates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Ding; Hoffmann, Veit; Richter, Eberhard; Tessaro, Thomas; Galazka, Zbigniew; Weyers, Markus; Tränkle, Günther

2017-11-01

We report that a H2-free atmosphere is essential for the initial stage of metalorganic vapour phase epitaxy (MOVPE) growth of GaN on β-Ga2O3 to prevent the surface from damage. A simple growth method is proposed that can easily transfer established GaN growth recipes from sapphire to β-Ga2O3 with both (-2 0 1) and (1 0 0) orientations. This method features a thin AlN nucleation layer grown below 900 °C in N2 atmosphere to protect the surface of β-Ga2O3 from deterioration during further growth under the H2 atmosphere. Based on this, we demonstrate working violet vertical light emitting diodes (VLEDs) on n-conductive β-Ga2O3 substrates.

Multicycle rapid thermal annealing optimization of Mg-implanted GaN: Evolution of surface, optical, and structural properties

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Greenlee, Jordan D.; Feigelson, Boris N.; Anderson, Travis J.; Tadjer, Marko J.; Hite, Jennifer K.; Mastro, Michael A.; Eddy, Charles R.; Hobart, Karl D.; Kub, Francis J.

2014-08-01

The first step of a multi-cycle rapid thermal annealing process was systematically studied. The surface, structure, and optical properties of Mg implanted GaN thin films annealed at temperatures ranging from 900 to 1200 °C were investigated by Raman spectroscopy, photoluminescence, UV-visible spectroscopy, atomic force microscopy, and Nomarski microscopy. The GaN thin films are capped with two layers of in-situ metal organic chemical vapor deposition -grown AlN and annealed in 24 bar of N2 overpressure to avoid GaN decomposition. The crystal quality of the GaN improves with increasing annealing temperature as confirmed by UV-visible spectroscopy and the full widths at half maximums of the E2 and A1 (LO) Raman modes. The crystal quality of films annealed above 1100 °C exceeds the quality of the as-grown films. At 1200 °C, Mg is optically activated, which is determined by photoluminescence measurements. However, at 1200 °C, the GaN begins to decompose as evidenced by pit formation on the surface of the samples. Therefore, it was determined that the optimal temperature for the first step in a multi-cycle rapid thermal anneal process should be conducted at 1150 °C due to crystal quality and surface morphology considerations.

Structures and stabilities of Al(n) (+), Al(n), and Al(n) (-) (n=13-34) clusters.

PubMed

Aguado, Andrés; López, José M

2009-02-14

Putative global minima of neutral (Al(n)) and singly charged (Al(n) (+) and Al(n) (-)) aluminum clusters with n=13-34 have been located from first-principles density functional theory structural optimizations. The calculations include spin polarization and employ the generalized gradient approximation of Perdew, Burke, and Ernzerhof to describe exchange-correlation electronic effects. Our results show that icosahedral growth dominates the structures of aluminum clusters for n=13-22. For n=23-34, there is a strong competition between decahedral structures, relaxed fragments of a fcc crystalline lattice (some of them including stacking faults), and hexagonal prismatic structures. For such small cluster sizes, there is no evidence yet for a clear establishment of the fcc atomic packing prevalent in bulk aluminum. The global minimum structure for a given number of atoms depends significantly on the cluster charge for most cluster sizes. An explicit comparison is made with previous theoretical results in the range n=13-30: for n=19, 22, 24, 25, 26, 29, 30 we locate a lower energy structure than previously reported. Sizes n=32, 33 are studied here for the first time by an ab initio technique.

Terahertz emission and spectroscopy on InN epilayer and nanostructure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ahn, H.; Pan, C.-L.; Gwo, S.

2009-02-01

We report a comprehensive study on THz emission and spectroscopy of indium nitride (InN) films and its nanorod arrays grown by plasma-assisted molecular beam epitaxy technique. For the enhancement of THz emission from InN, we demonstrated two method; firstly using nanorod arrays, which have large surface area for optical absorption and THz emission, and secondly using nonpolar InN film, of which the electric field is along the sample surface. We propose that a "screened" photo-Dember effect due to narrow surface electron accumulation layer of InN is responsible for the nanorod-size-dependent enhancement from InN nanorods. The primary THz radiation mechanism of nonpolar InN is found to be due to the acceleration of photoexcited carriers under the polarization-induced in-plane electric field. THz time-domain spectroscopy has been used to investigate THz conductivity and dielectric response of InN nanorod arrays and epitaxial film. The complex THz conductivity of InN film is well fitted by the Drude model, while the negative imaginary conductivity of the InN nanorods can be described by using a non-Drude model, which includes a preferential backward scattering due to defects in InN nanorods, or a Coulombic restoring force from charged defects.

Stress in (Al, Ga)N heterostructures grown on 6H-SiC and Si substrates byplasma-assisted molecular beam epitaxy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Koshelev, O. A.; Nechaev, D. V.; Sitnikova, A. A.; Ratnikov, V. V.; Ivanov, S. V.; Jmerik, V. N.

2017-11-01

The paper describes experimental results on low temperature plasma-assisted molecular beam epitaxy of GaN/AlN heterostructures on both 6H-SiC and Si(111) substrates. We demonstrate that application of migration enhanced epitaxy and metal-modulated epitaxy for growth of AlN nucleation and buffer layers lowers the screw and edge(total)threading dislocation (TD) densities down to 1.7·108 and 2·109 cm-2, respectively, in a 2.8-μm-thick GaN buffer layer grown atop of AlN/6H-SiC. The screw and total TD densities of 1.2·109 and 7.4·109 cm-2, respectively, were achieved in a 1-μm-thickGaN/AlNheterostructure on Si(111). Stress generation and relaxation in GaN/AlN heterostructures were investigated by using multi-beam optical stress sensor (MOSS) to achieve zero substrate curvature at room temperature. It is demonstrated that a 1-μm-thick GaN/AlN buffer layer grown by PA MBE provides planar substrate morphology in the case of growth on Si substrates whereas 5-μm-thick GaN buffer layers have to be used to achieve the same when growing on 6H-SiC substrates.

Multicycle rapid thermal annealing optimization of Mg-implanted GaN: Evolution of surface, optical, and structural properties

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Greenlee, Jordan D., E-mail: jordan.greenlee.ctr@nrl.navy.mil; Feigelson, Boris N.; Anderson, Travis J.

2014-08-14

The first step of a multi-cycle rapid thermal annealing process was systematically studied. The surface, structure, and optical properties of Mg implanted GaN thin films annealed at temperatures ranging from 900 to 1200 °C were investigated by Raman spectroscopy, photoluminescence, UV-visible spectroscopy, atomic force microscopy, and Nomarski microscopy. The GaN thin films are capped with two layers of in-situ metal organic chemical vapor deposition -grown AlN and annealed in 24 bar of N{sub 2} overpressure to avoid GaN decomposition. The crystal quality of the GaN improves with increasing annealing temperature as confirmed by UV-visible spectroscopy and the full widths at halfmore » maximums of the E{sub 2} and A{sub 1} (LO) Raman modes. The crystal quality of films annealed above 1100 °C exceeds the quality of the as-grown films. At 1200 °C, Mg is optically activated, which is determined by photoluminescence measurements. However, at 1200 °C, the GaN begins to decompose as evidenced by pit formation on the surface of the samples. Therefore, it was determined that the optimal temperature for the first step in a multi-cycle rapid thermal anneal process should be conducted at 1150 °C due to crystal quality and surface morphology considerations.« less

Measurement of second order susceptibilities of GaN and AlGaN

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sanford, N. A.; Davydov, A. V.; Tsvetkov, D. V.; Dmitriev, A. V.; Keller, S.; Mishra, U. K.; DenBaars, S. P.; Park, S. S.; Han, J. Y.; Molnar, R. J.

2005-03-01

Rotational Maker fringes, scaled with respect to χ11(2) of crystalline quartz, were used to determine the second order susceptibilities χ31(2) and χ33(2) for samples of thin AlxGa1-xN films, a thicker GaN film, and a free-standing GaN platelets. The pump wavelength was 1064nm. The AlxGa1-xN samples, ranging in thickness from roughly 0.5to4.4μm, were grown by metalorganic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) and hydride vapor-phase epitaxy (HVPE) on (0001) sapphire substrates. The Al mole fractions x were 0, 0.419, 0.507, 0.618, 0.660, and 0.666, for the MOCVD-grown samples, and x =0, 0.279, 0.363, and 0.593 for the HVPE-grown samples. An additional HVPE-grown GaN sample ˜70μm thick was also examined. The free-standing bulk GaN platelets consisted of an HVPE grown film ˜226μm thick removed from its growth substrate, and a crystal ˜160μm thick grown by high-pressure techniques. For the AlxGa1-xN samples, the magnitudes of χ31(2) and χ33(2) decrease roughly linearly with increasing x and extrapolate to ˜0 for x =1. Furthermore, the constraint expected for a perfect wurtzite structure, namely χ33(2)=-2χ31(2), was seldom observed, and the samples with x =0.660 and x =0.666 showed χ31(2) and χ33(2) having the same sign. These results are consistent with the theoretical studies of nonlinear susceptibilities for AlN and GaN performed by Chen et al. [Appl. Phys. Lett. 66, 1129 (1995)]. The thicker bulk GaN samples displayed a complex superposition of high- and low-frequency Maker fringes due to the multiple-pass interference of the pump and second-harmonic generation beams, and the nonlinear coefficients were approximately consistent with those measured for the thin-film GaN sample.

Alendronate (ALN) combined with Osteoprotegerin (OPG) significantly improves mechanical properties of long bone than the single use of ALN or OPG in the ovariectomized rats

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background Alendronate (ALN) is the most common form of bisphosphonates used for the treatment of osteoporosis. Osteoprotegerin (OPG) has also been shown to reduce osteoporotic changes in both humans and experimental animals after systemic administration. The aim of this current study was to test if the anti-resorption effects of ALN may be enhanced when used in combination with OPG. Objectives To investigate the effects of ALN, OPG or combined on bone mass and bone mechanical properties in ovariectomized (OVX) rats. Methods OVX rats were treated with ALN, OPG-Fc, or OPG-Fc and ALN. Biochemical markers, trabecular bone mass, biomechanics, histomorphometry and RANKL expression in the bone tissues were examined following the treatments. Results The treatment of ALN, OPG-Fc and ALN+OPG-Fc all prevented bone loss in the OVX-rats, there was no statistical difference among the three treatment groups in terms of vertebrae BMD, mineralizing surfaces, mineral apposition rate, BFR/BS. The ALN+OPG-Fc treatment group had significantly increased the mechanical strength of lumber vertebral bodies and femoral shafts when compared to the ALN and OPG-Fc treatment groups. The RANKL protein expression in the vertebral bones was significantly decreased in the ALN and ALN+OPG-Fc treatment groups, suggesting the combined use of OPG-Fc and ALN might have amplified inhibition of bone resorption through inhibiting RANKL-dependent osteoclastogenesis. Conclusion The combined use of OPG-Fc and ALN may be a new treatment strategy for reversing bone loss and restoring bone quality in osteoprotic disorders. PMID:21752290

Compatibility of AlN with liquid lithium

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Terai, T.; Suzuki, A.; Yoneoka, T.; Mitsuyama, T.

2000-12-01

Development of ceramic coatings is one of the most important subjects in liquid blanket research and development. Compatibility of sintered AlN and AlN coatings with liquid lithium, a candidate breeding material, was investigated. Sintered AlN with or without the sintering aid of Y 2O 3 examined in lithium at 773 K for 1390 h showed a slight decrease in electrical resistivity because of a reduction in Al 2O 3 impurity, though AlN and Y 2O 3 components themselves were subject to no severe corrosion. On the other hand, AlN ceramic coatings on SUS430 with high resistivity (> 10 11 Ω m) fabricated by the RF sputtering method disappeared in liquid lithium at 773 K in 56 h. This may be because cracks were formed due to the difference in thermal expansion between the coatings and the substrate or because the oxide formed between the two was removed by liquid lithium.

Effect of post-implantation annealing on Al-N isoelectronic trap formation in silicon: Al-N pair formation and defect recovery mechanisms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mori, Takahiro; Morita, Yukinori; Matsukawa, Takashi

2018-05-01

The effect of post-implantation annealing (PIA) on Al-N isoelectronic trap (IET) formation in silicon has been experimentally investigated to discuss the Al-N IET formation and implantation-induced defect recovery mechanisms. We performed a photoluminescence study, which indicated that self-interstitial clusters and accompanying vacancies are generated in the ion implantation process. It is supposed that Al and N atoms move to the vacancy sites and form stable Al-N pairs in the PIA process. Furthermore, the PIA process recovers self-interstitial clusters while transforming their atomic configuration. The critical temperature for the formation/dissociation of Al-N pairs was found to be 450 °C, with which we describe the process integration for devices utilizing Al-N IET technology.

The INNs and outs of antibody nonproprietary names

PubMed Central

Jones, Tim D.; Carter, Paul J.; Plückthun, Andreas; Vásquez, Max; Holgate, Robert G.E.; Hötzel, Isidro; Popplewell, Andrew G.; Parren, Paul W.H.I.; Enzelberger, Markus; Rademaker, Hendrik J.; Clark, Michael R.; Lowe, David C.; Dahiyat, Bassil I.; Smith, Victoria; Lambert, John M.; Wu, Herren; Reilly, Mary; Haurum, John S.; Dübel, Stefan; Huston, James S.; Schirrmann, Thomas; Janssen, Richard A.J.; Steegmaier, Martin; Gross, Jane A.; Bradbury, Andrew R.M.; Burton, Dennis R.; Dimitrov, Dimiter S.; Chester, Kerry A.; Glennie, Martin J.; Davies, Julian; Walker, Adam; Martin, Steve; McCafferty, John; Baker, Matthew P.

2016-01-01

An important step in drug development is the assignment of an International Nonproprietary Name (INN) by the World Health Organization (WHO) that provides healthcare professionals with a unique and universally available designated name to identify each pharmaceutical substance. Monoclonal antibody INNs comprise a –mab suffix preceded by a substem indicating the antibody type, e.g., chimeric (-xi-), humanized (-zu-), or human (-u-). The WHO publishes INN definitions that specify how new monoclonal antibody therapeutics are categorized and adapts the definitions to new technologies. However, rapid progress in antibody technologies has blurred the boundaries between existing antibody categories and created a burgeoning array of new antibody formats. Thus, revising the INN system for antibodies is akin to aiming for a rapidly moving target. The WHO recently revised INN definitions for antibodies now to be based on amino acid sequence identity. These new definitions, however, are critically flawed as they are ambiguous and go against decades of scientific literature. A key concern is the imposition of an arbitrary threshold for identity against human germline antibody variable region sequences. This leads to inconsistent classification of somatically mutated human antibodies, humanized antibodies as well as antibodies derived from semi-synthetic/synthetic libraries and transgenic animals. Such sequence-based classification implies clear functional distinction between categories (e.g., immunogenicity). However, there is no scientific evidence to support this. Dialog between the WHO INN Expert Group and key stakeholders is needed to develop a new INN system for antibodies and to avoid confusion and miscommunication between researchers and clinicians prescribing antibodies. PMID:26716992

Optical properties of InN thin films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Malakhov, Vladislav Y.

2000-04-01

The basic optical properties of low temperature plasma enhanced chemical reactionary sputtered (PECRS) InN thin films are presented. Optical absorption and reflectance spectra of InN polycrystalline films at room temperature in visible and near infrared (NIR) regions were taken to determine direct band gap energy (2.03 eV), electron plasma resonances energy (0.6 eV), damping constant (0.18 eV), and optical effective mass of electrons (0.11). In addition the UV and visible reflectance spectra have been used to reproduce accurately dielectric function of wurtzite InN for assignments of the peak structures to interband transitions (1.5 - 12.0 eV) as well as to determine dielectric constant (9.3) and refractive index (>3.0). The revealed reflectance peaks at 485 and 590 cm-1 respectively in IR spectra are connected with TO and LO optical vibration modes of InN films. Some TO (485 cm-1) and LO (585 cm-1) phonon features of indium nitride polycrystalline films on ceramics were observed in Raman spectra and also discussed. The excellent possibilities of InN polycrystalline layers for potential application in optoelectronic devices such as LEDs based InGaAlN and high efficiency solar cells are confirmed.

Correct implementation of polarization constants in wurtzite materials and impact on III-nitrides

DOE PAGES

Dreyer, Cyrus E.; Janotti, Anderson; Van de Walle, Chris G.; ...

2016-06-20

Here, accurate values for polarization discontinuities between pyroelectric materials are critical for understanding and designing the electronic properties of heterostructures. For wurtzite materials, the zincblende structure has been used in the literature as a reference to determine the effective spontaneous polarization constants. We show that, because the zincblende structure has a nonzero formal polarization, this method results in a spurious contribution to the spontaneous polarization differences between materials. In addition, we address the correct choice of "improper" versus "proper" piezoelectric constants. For the technologically important III-nitride materials GaN, AlN, and InN, we determine polarization discontinuities using a consistent reference basedmore » on the layered hexagonal structure and the correct choice of piezoelectric constants, and discuss the results in light of available experimental data.« less

Dual optical marker Raman characterization of strained GaN-channels on AlN using AlN/GaN/AlN quantum wells and {sup 15}N isotopes

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Qi, Meng; Li, Guowang; Protasenko, Vladimir

2015-01-26

This work shows that the combination of ultrathin highly strained GaN quantum wells embedded in an AlN matrix, with controlled isotopic concentrations of Nitrogen enables a dual marker method for Raman spectroscopy. By combining these techniques, we demonstrate the effectiveness in studying strain in the vertical direction. This technique will enable the precise probing of properties of buried active layers in heterostructures, and can be extended in the future to vertical devices such as those used for optical emitters and for power electronics.

Comparative study of GaN-based ultraviolet LEDs grown on different-sized patterned sapphire substrates with sputtered AlN nucleation layer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhou, Shengjun; Hu, Hongpo; Liu, Xingtong; Liu, Mengling; Ding, Xinghuo; Gui, Chengqun; Liu, Sheng; Guo, L. Jay

2017-11-01

GaN-based ultraviolet-light-emitting diodes (UV LEDs) with 375 nm emission were grown on different-sized patterned sapphire substrates (PSSs) with ex situ 15-nm-thick sputtered AlN nucleation layers by metal-organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD). It was observed through in situ optical reflectance monitoring that the transition time from a three-dimensional (3D) island to a two-dimensional (2D) coalescence was prolonged when GaN was grown on a larger PSS, owing to a much longer lateral growth time of GaN. The full widths at half-maximum (FWHMs) of symmetric GaN(002) and asymmetric GaN(102) X-ray diffraction (XRD) rocking curves decreased as the PSS size increased. By cross-sectional transmission electron microscopy (TEM) analysis, it was found that the threading dislocation (TD) density in UV LEDs decreased with increasing pattern size and fill factor of the PSS, thereby resulting in a marked improvement in internal quantum efficiency (IQE). Finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) simulations quantitatively demonstrated a progressive decrease in light extraction efficiency (LEE) as the PSS size increased. However, owing to the significantly reduced TD density in InGaN/AlInGaN multiple quantum wells (MQWs) and thus improved IQE, the light output power of the UV LED grown on a large PSS with a fill factor of 0.71 was 131.8% higher than that of the UV LED grown on a small PSS with a fill factor of 0.4, albeit the UV LED grown on a large PSS exhibited a much lower LEE.

Growth of GaN nanostructures with polar and semipolar orientations for the fabrication of UV LEDs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brault, Julien; Damilano, Benjamin; Courville, Aimeric; Leroux, Mathieu; Kahouli, Abdelkarim; Korytov, Maxim; Vennéguès, Philippe; Randazzo, Gaetano; Chenot, Sébastien; Vinter, Borge; De Mierry, Philippe; Massies, Jean; Rosales, Daniel; Bretagnon, Thierry; Gil, Bernard

2014-03-01

(Al,Ga)N light emitting diodes (LEDs), emitting over a large spectral range from 360 nm (GaN) down to 210 nm (AlN), have been successfully fabricated over the last decade. Clear advantages compared to the traditional mercury lamp technology (e.g. compactness, low-power operation, lifetime) have been demonstrated. However, LED efficiencies still need to be improved. The main problems are related to the structural quality and the p-type doping efficiency of (Al,Ga)N. Among the current approaches, GaN nanostructures, which confine carriers along both the growth direction and the growth plane, are seen as a solution for improving the radiative recombination efficiency by strongly reducing the impact of surrounding defects. Our approach, based on a 2D - 3D growth mode transition in molecular beam epitaxy, can lead to the spontaneous formation of GaN nanostructures on (Al,Ga)N over a broad range of Al compositions. Furthermore, the versatility of the process makes it possible to fabricate nanostructures on both (0001) oriented "polar" and (11 2 2) oriented "semipolar" materials. We show that the change in the crystal orientation has a strong impact on the morphological and optical properties of the nanostructures. The influence of growth conditions are also investigated by combining microscopy (SEM, TEM) and photoluminescence techniques. Finally, their potential as UV emitters will be discussed and the performances of GaN / (Al,Ga)N nanostructure-based LED demonstrators are presented.

AlGaN materials for semiconductor sensors and emitters in 200- to 365-nm range

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Usikov, Alexander S.; Shapvalova, Elizaveta V.; Melnik, Yuri V.; Ivantsov, Vladimir A.; Dmitriev, Vladimir A.; Collins, Charles J.; Sampath, Anand V.; Garrett, Gregory A.; Shen, Paul H.; Wraback, Michael

2004-12-01

In this paper we report on the fabrication and characterization of GaN, AlGaN, and AlN layers grown by hydride vapor phase epitaxy (HVPE). The layers were grown on 2-inch and 4-inch sapphire and 2-inch silicon carbide substrates. Thickness of the GaN layers was varied from 2 to 80 microns. Surface roughness, Rms, for the smoothest GaN layers was less than 0.5 nm, as measured by AFM using 10 μm x 10 μm scans. Background Nd-Na concentration for undoped GaN layers was less than 1x1016 cm-3. For n-type GaN layers doped with Si, concentration Nd-Na was controlled from 1016 to 1019 cm-3. P-type GaN layers were fabricated using Mg doping with concentration Na-Nd ranging from 4x1016 to 3x1018 cm-3, for various samples. Zn doping also resulted in p-type GaN formation with concnetration ND-NA in the 1017 cm-3 range. UV transmission, photoluminescence, and crystal structure of AlGaN layers with AlN concentration up to 85 mole.% were studied. Dependence of optical band gap on AlGaN alloy composition was measured for the whole composition range. Thick (up to 75 microns) crack-free AlN layers were grown on SiC substrates. Etch pit density for such thick AlN layers was in the 107 cm-2 range.

1. View north from across State Highway 1 toward Inn. ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

1. View north from across State Highway 1 toward Inn. 'Big Sur Inn' Building (HABS-CA-2611-A) visible at left, 'Hayloft' Building (HABS-CA-2611-B at right center, and 'Antique' Building (HABS-CA-2611-C) and 'Champagne' Building (HABS-CA-2611-D) out of sight behind trees at right. - Deetjen's Big Sur Inn, East Side of State Highway 1, Big Sur, Monterey County, CA

Density functional theory calculations of III-N based semiconductors with mBJLDA

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gürel, Hikmet Hakan; Akıncı, Özden; Ünlü, Hilmi

2017-02-01

In this work, we present first principles calculations based on a full potential linear augmented plane-wave method (FP-LAPW) to calculate structural and electronic properties of III-V based nitrides such as GaN, AlN, InN in a zinc-blende cubic structure. First principles calculation using the local density approximation (LDA) and generalized gradient approximation (GGA) underestimate the band gap. We proposed a new potential called modified Becke-Johnson local density approximation (MBJLDA) that combines modified Becke-Johnson exchange potential and the LDA correlation potential to get better band gap results compared to experiment. We compared various exchange-correlation potentials (LSDA, GGA, HSE, and MBJLDA) to determine band gaps and structural properties of semiconductors. We show that using MBJLDA density potential gives a better agreement with experimental data for band gaps III-V nitrides based semiconductors.

Point Defect Identification and Management for Sub-300 nm Light Emitting Diodes and Laser Diodes Grown on Bulk AlN Substrates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bryan, Zachary A.

The identification and role of point defects in AlN thin films and bulk crystals are studied. High-resolution photoluminescence studies on doped and undoped c-plane and mplane homoepitaxial films reveal several sharp donor-bound exciton (DBX) peaks with a full width at half maximum (FWHM) as narrow as 500 microeV. Power dependent photoluminescence distinguish DBXs tied to the Gamma5 free exciton (FX) from those tied to the Gamma 1 FX. The DBX transitions at 6.012 and 6.006 eV are identified as originating from the neutral-donor-silicon (Si0X) and neutral-donor-oxygen (O0X) respectively. With multiple DBXs and their respective two electron satellite peaks identified, a Haynes Rule plot is developed for the first time for AlN. While high quality AlN homoepitaxy is achievable by metalorganic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) growth, current commercially available AlN wafers are typically hindered by the presence of a broad below bandgap optical absorption band centered at 4.7 eV ( 265 nm) with an absorption coefficient of well over 1000 cm-1. Through density functional theory calculations, it is determined that substitutional carbon on the nitrogen site causes this absorption. Further studies reveal a donor-acceptor pair (DAP) recombination between substitutional carbon on the nitrogen site and a nitrogen vacancy with an emission energy of 2.8 eV. Lastly, co-doping bulk AlN with Si or O is explored and found to suppress the unwanted 4.7 eV absorption band. A novel Fermi level control scheme for point defect management during MOCVD growth in III-nitride materials by above bandgap illumination is proposed and implemented for Mg-doped GaN and Si-doped AlGaN materials as a proof of concept. The point defect control scheme uses photo-generated minority charge carriers to control the electro-chemical potential of the system and increase the formation energies of electrically charged compensating point defects. The result is a lower incorporation of compensating point

Cd ion implantation in AlN

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Miranda, S. M. C.; Franco, N.; Alves, E.; Lorenz, K.

2012-10-01

AlN thin films were implanted with cadmium, to fluences of 1 × 1013 and 8 × 1014 at/cm2. The implanted samples were annealed at 950 °C under flowing nitrogen. Although implantation damage in AlN is known to be extremely stable the crystal could be fully recovered at low fluences. At high fluences the implantation damage was only partially removed. Implantation defects cause an expansion of the c-lattice parameter. For the high fluence sample the lattice site location of the ions was studied by Rutherford Backscattering/Channelling Spectrometry. Cd ions are found to be incorporated in substitutional Al sites in the crystal and no significant diffusion is seen upon thermal annealing. The observed high solubility limit and site stability are prerequisite for using Cd as p-type dopant in AlN.

An AlGaN/GaN high-electron-mobility transistor with an AlN sub-buffer layer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shealy, J. R.; Kaper, V.; Tilak, V.; Prunty, T.; Smart, J. A.; Green, B.; Eastman, L. F.

2002-04-01

The AlGaN/GaN high-electron-mobility transistor requires a thermally conducting, semi-insulating substrate to achieve the best possible microwave performance. The semi-insulating SiC substrate is currently the best choice for this device technology; however, fringing fields which penetrate the GaN buffer layer at pinch-off introduce significant substrate conduction at modest drain bias if channel electrons are not well confined to the nitride structure. The addition of an insulating AlN sub-buffer on the semi-insulating SiC substrate suppresses this parasitic conduction, which results in dramatic improvements in the AlGaN/GaN transistor performance. A pronounced reduction in both the gate-lag and the gate-leakage current are observed for structures with the AlN sub-buffer layer. These structures operate up to 50 V drain bias under drive, corresponding to a peak voltage of 80 V, for a 0.30 µm gate length device. The devices have achieved high-efficiency operation at 10 GHz (>70% power-added efficiency in class AB mode at 15 V drain bias) and the highest output power density observed thus far (11.2 W mm-1). Large-periphery devices (1.5 mm gate width) deliver 10 W (continuous wave) of maximum saturated output power at 10 GHz. The growth, processing, and performance of these devices are briefly reviewed.

Selective dry etching of III-V nitrides in Cl{sub 2}/Ar, CH{sub 4}/H{sub 2}/Ar, ICi/Ar, and IBr/Ar

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Vartuli, C.B.; Pearton, S.J.; MacKenzie, J.D.

1996-10-01

The selectivity for etching the binary (GaN, AlN, and InN) and ternary nitrides (InGaN and InAlN) relative to each other in Cl{sub 2}/Ar, CH{sub 4}/H{sub 2}/Ar, ICl/Ar, or IBr/Ar electron cyclotron resonance (ECR) plasmas, and Cl{sub 2}/Ar or CH{sub 4}/H{sub 2}/Ar reactive ion (RIE) plasmas was investigated. Cl-based etches appear to be the best choice for maximizing the selectivity of GaN over the other nitrides. GaN/AlN and GaN/InGaN etch rate ratios of {approximately} 10 were achieved at low RF power in Cl{sub 2}/Ar under ECR and RIE conditions, respectively. GaN/InN selectivity of 10 was found in ICl under ECR conditions.more » A relatively high selectivity (> 6) of InN/GaN was achieved in CH{sub 4}/H{sub 2}/Ar under ECR conditions at low RF powers (50 W). Since the high bond strengths of the nitrides require either high ion energies or densities to achieve practical etch rates it is difficult to achieve high selectivities.« less

Kinetic instability of AlGaN alloys during MBE growth under metal-rich conditions on m-plane GaN miscut towards the -c axis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shirazi-HD, M.; Diaz, R. E.; Nguyen, T.; Jian, J.; Gardner, G. C.; Wang, H.; Manfra, M. J.; Malis, O.

2018-04-01

AlxGa1-xN layers with Al-composition above 0.6 (0.6 < x < 0.9) grown under metal-rich conditions by plasma-assisted molecular beam epitaxy on m-plane GaN miscut towards the -c axis are kinetically unstable. Even under excess Ga flux, the effective growth rate of AlGaN is drastically reduced, likely due to suppression of Ga-N dimer incorporation. The defect structure generated during these growth conditions is studied with energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy scanning transmission electron microscopy as a function of Al flux. The AlGaN growth results in the formation of thin Al(Ga)N layers with Al-composition higher than expected and lower Al-composition AlGaN islands. The AlGaN islands have a flat top and are elongated along the c-axis (i.e., stripe-like shape). Possible mechanisms for the observed experimental results are discussed. Our data are consistent with a model in which Al-N dimers promote release of Ga-N dimers from the m-plane surface.

High-Temperature Electromechanical Characterization of AlN Single Crystals.

PubMed

Kim, Taeyang; Kim, Jinwook; Dalmau, Rafael; Schlesser, Raoul; Preble, Edward; Jiang, Xiaoning

2015-10-01

Hexagonal AlN is a non-ferroelectric material and does not have any phase transition up to its melting point (>2000°C), which indicates the potential use of AlN for high-temperature sensing. In this work, the elastic, dielectric, and piezoelectric constants of AlN single crystals were investigated at elevated temperatures up to 1000°C by the resonance method. We used resonators of five different modes to obtain a complete set of material constants of AlN single crystals. The electrical resistivity of AlN at elevated temperature (1000°C) was found to be greater than 5 × 10(10) Ω · cm. The resonance frequency of the resonators, which was mainly determined by the elastic compliances, decreased linearly with increasing temperature, and was characterized by a relatively low temperature coefficient of frequency, in the range of -20 to -36 ppm/°C. For all the investigated resonator modes, the elastic constants and the electromechanical coupling factors exhibited excellent temperature stability, with small variations over the full temperature range, <11.2% and <17%, respectively. Of particular significance is that due to the pyroelectricity of AlN, both the dielectric and the piezoelectric constants had high thermal resistivity even at extreme high temperature (1000°C). Therefore, high electrical resistivity, temperature independence of electromechanical properties, as well as high thermal resistivity of the elastic, dielectric, and piezoelectric properties, suggest that AlN single crystals are a promising candidate for high-temperature piezoelectric sensing applications.

Surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy using 2D plasmons of InN nanostructures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Madapu, Kishore K.; Dhara, Sandip

2018-06-01

We explored the surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) activity of the InN nanostructures, possessing surface electron accumulation (SEA), using the Rhodamine 6G (R6G) molecules. SERS enhancement is observed for the InN nanostructures which possess SEA. In case of high-temperature grown InN samples, a peak is observed in the low wave number (THz region) of Raman spectra of InN nanostructures originating from excitation of the two-dimensional (2D) plasmons of the SEA. The enhancement factor of four orders was calculated with the assumption of monolayer coverage of analyte molecule. SERS enhancement of InN nanostructures is attributed to the 2D plasmonic nature of InN nanostructures invoking SEA, rather than the contributions from 3D surface plasmon resonance and chemical interaction. The role of 2D plasmon excitation in SERS enhancement is corroborated by the near-field light-matter interaction studies using near-field scanning optical microscopy.

Structural and electronic properties of the V-V compounds isoelectronic to GaN and isostructural to gray arsenic

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Zhao; Han, Dan; Chen, Guohong; Chen, Shiyou

2018-03-01

The III-V binary compound semiconductors such as GaN, GaP, InN and InP have extensive applications in various optoelectronic, microwave and power-electronic devices. Using first-principles calculation, we systematically studied the structural and electronic properties of the V-V binary compounds (BiN, BiP, SbN and SbP) that are isoelectronic to GaN, GaP, InN and InP if Bi and Sb are in the +3 valence state. Interestingly, we found that the ground-state structures of BiP, SbN and SbP have the R-3m symmetry and are isostructural to the layered structure of gray arsenic, whereas BiN prefers a different ground-state structure with the C2 symmetry. Electronic structure calculations showed that the bulk BiN is a narrow bandgap semiconductor for its bandgap is about 0.2 eV. In contrast, BiP, SbN and SbP are metallic. The layered ground-state structure of the V-V binary compounds motivates us to study the electronic properties of their few-layer structures. As the structure becomes monolayer, their bandgaps increase significantly and are all in the range from about 1 eV to 1.7 eV, which are comparative to the bandgap of the monolayer gray arsenic. The monolayer BiP, SbN and SbP have indirect bandgaps, and they show a semiconductor-metal transition as the number of layers increase. Interestingly, the monolayer BiP has the largest splitting (350 meV) of the CBM valley, and thus may have potential application in novel spintronics and valleytronics devices.

Free and bound excitons in thin wurtzite GaN layers on sapphire

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Merz, C.; Kunzer, M.; Kaufmann, U.; Akasaki, I.; Amano, H.

1996-05-01

Free and bound excitons have been studied by photoluminescence in thin (0268-1242/11/5/010/img8) wurtzite-undoped GaN, n-type GaN:Si as well as p-type GaN:Mg and GaN:Zn layers grown by metal-organic chemical vapour phase deposition (MOCVD). An accurate value for the free A exciton binding energy and an estimate for the isotropically averaged hole mass of the uppermost 0268-1242/11/5/010/img9 valence band are deduced from the data on undoped samples. The acceptor-doped samples reveal recombination lines which are attributed to excitons bound to 0268-1242/11/5/010/img10 and 0268-1242/11/5/010/img11 respectively. These lines are spectrally clearly separated and the exciton localization energies are in line with Haynes' rule. Whenever a comparison is possible, it is found that the exciton lines in these thin MOCVD layers are ultraviolet-shifted by 20 to 25 meV as compared to quasi-bulk (0268-1242/11/5/010/img12) samples. This effect is interpreted in terms of the compressive hydrostatic stress component which thin GaN layers experience when grown on sapphire with an AlN buffer layer.

Fundamentals, progress, and future directions of nitride-based semiconductors and their composites in two-dimensional limit: A first-principles perspective to recent synthesis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kecik, D.; Onen, A.; Konuk, M.; Gürbüz, E.; Ersan, F.; Cahangirov, S.; Aktürk, E.; Durgun, E.; Ciraci, S.

2018-03-01

Potential applications of bulk GaN and AlN crystals have made possible single and multilayer allotropes of these III-V compounds to be a focus of interest recently. As of 2005, the theoretical studies have predicted that GaN and AlN can form two-dimensional (2D) stable, single-layer (SL) structures being wide band gap semiconductors and showing electronic and optical properties different from those of their bulk parents. Research on these 2D structures have gained importance with recent experimental studies achieving the growth of ultrathin 2D GaN and AlN on substrates. It is expected that these two materials will open an active field of research like graphene, silicene, and transition metal dichalcogenides. This topical review aims at the evaluation of previous experimental and theoretical works until 2018 in order to provide input for further research attempts in this field. To this end, starting from three-dimensional (3D) GaN and AlN crystals, we review 2D SL and multilayer (ML) structures, which were predicted to be stable in free-standing states. These are planar hexagonal (or honeycomb), tetragonal, and square-octagon structures. First, we discuss earlier results on dynamical and thermal stability of these SL structures, as well as the predicted mechanical properties. Next, their electronic and optical properties with and without the effect of strain are reviewed and compared with those of the 3D parent crystals. The formation of multilayers, hence prediction of new periodic layered structures and also tuning their physical properties with the number of layers are other critical subjects that have been actively studied and discussed here. In particular, an extensive analysis pertaining to the nature of perpendicular interlayer bonds causing planar GaN and AlN to buckle is presented. In view of the fact that SL GaN and AlN can be fabricated only on a substrate, the question of how the properties of free-standing, SL structures are affected if they are grown

AlN based piezoelectric micromirror.

PubMed

Shao, Jian; Li, Qi; Feng, Chuhuan; Li, Wei; Yu, Hongbin

2018-03-01

Aiming to pursue a micromirror possessing many desired characteristics, such as linear control, low power consumption, fast response, and easy fabrication, a new piezoelectric actuation strategy is presented. Different from conventional piezoelectric actuation cases, we first propose using AlN film as the active layer for actuating the micromirror. Owing to its good CMOS compatible deposition and patterning techniques, the AlN based piezoelectric micromirror has been successfully fabricated with a modified silicon-on-insulator-based microelectromechanical system (MEMS) process. At the same time, various mirror movement modes operating at high frequencies and excellent linear relationship between the movement and the control signal both have been experimentally demonstrated.

FOREWORD: The physics of III-V nitrides The physics of III-V nitrides

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ridley, B. K.

2009-04-01

thought to be associated with the coupling of plasma and phonon modes, and this is discussed by Dyson. The intrinsic cause of phonon decay is the anharmonic interaction involving three phonons, and this process is described for zinc blende BN and hexagonal AlN, GaN and InN by Srivastava. The principal electron scattering mechanism at room temperature is associated with the interaction with polar optical modes. At high fields, transfer to the upper conduction-band valleys can take place and this involves the deformation-potential interaction. Deformation potentials have been derived by Yamakawa et al for GaN, and they have been incorporated into a cellular Monte Carlo simulation to describe high-field transport. In high-power devices, thermal as well as electronic transport is important. The thermal conductivity of the substrate of devices is a vital factor, and the possible use of AlN ceramics is discussed by AlShaikhi and Srivastarva. A striking device based on a zinc blende superlattice is the quantum cascade laser. Exploiting intersubband transitions in the AlN/GaN superlattice for the high-speed detection of infrared light is described by Hofstetter et al, clearly a first step towards a nitride based quantum cascade laser. In bulk material the displacement of As by N that transforms GaAs to GaN produces a huge change in properties. Adding a small amount of N to GaAs might be expected to produce a gradual more-or-less linear shift towards the properties of GaN, but this turns out to be far from the case. The strange properties of dilute nitrides have intrigued many workers in recent years. Its curious bandstructure suggested that hot-electron transport could exhibit a negative differential resistance, and a report on this topic can be found in the article by Patane et al A comprehensive study of transport of electrons and holes in dilute nitride/GaAs quantum wells is reported by Sun et al. An unusual new device—a spin filter—is presaged by the work of Zhao et al on

Solar Hot Water for Motor Inn--Texas City, Texas

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1982-01-01

Final report describes solar domestic-hot-water heater installation at LaQuinta Motor Inn, Texas City, Texas which furnished 63% of total hot-water load of new 98-unit inn. Report presents a description of system, drawings and photographs of collectors, operations and maintenance instructions, manufacturers' specifications for pumps, and an engineer's report on performance.

Molecular beam epitaxy of InN nanowires on Si

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Golam Sarwar, A. T. M.; Carnevale, Santino D.; Kent, Thomas F.; Laskar, Masihhur R.; May, Brelon J.; Myers, Roberto C.

2015-10-01

We report on a systematic growth study of the nucleation process of InN nanowires on Si(1 1 1) substrates using plasma assisted molecular beam epitaxy (PAMBE). Samples are grown with various substrate temperatures and III/V ratios. Scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction spectroscopy, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, and photoluminescence are carried out to map out the variation in structural and optical properties versus growth conditions. Statistical averages of areal density, height, and radius are mapped as a function of substrate temperature and III/V ratio. Three different morphological phases are identified on the growth surface: InN, α-In and β-In. Based on SEM image analysis of samples grown at different conditions, the formation mechanism of these phases is proposed. Finally, the growth phase diagram of PAMBE grown InN on Si under N-rich condition is presented, and tapered versus non-tapered growth conditions are identified. It is found that high growth temperature and low III/V ratio plays a critical role in the growth of non-tapered InN nanowires.

InN: A material with photovoltaic promise and challenges

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Trybus, Elaissa; Namkoong, Gon; Henderson, Walter; Burnham, Shawn; Doolittle, W. Alan; Cheung, Maurice; Cartwright, Alexander

2006-03-01

The potential of InN as a photovoltaic material is described. For solar applications, several key developments such as p-type doping and solid-state rectifying junctions have yet to be demonstrated. However, the ability of InGaN materials to optimally span the solar spectrum offers a tantalizing solution for high-efficiency photovoltaics albeit in an inherently lattice mismatched material system. For this reason, the characteristics of InN grown on (1 1 1)-oriented germanium and (0 0 0 1)-plane sapphire substrates via molecular beam epitaxy for the application of InN solar cells is described. To provide an efficient sub-cell interconnect for tandem solar cells, epitaxial Al was deposited on a germanium substrate with InN grown on this epitaxial aluminum layer. Consistent with previous results, the electrical characteristics of n-InN/p-Ge, n-InN/n-Ge, and n-InN/Al/Ge were measured and showed no rectifying behavior. As evidenced by X-ray diffraction, minute amounts of unintentional oxygen incorporation during InN growth forms a secondary phase, tentatively assigned to an indium oxynitride, InON x, phase. Photoluminescence measurements of the InN/InON x show spectral peaks at ˜0.7 and ˜3.8 eV consistent with the bulk excitonic bandgap of the two materials. Photoluminescence was also found at ˜1.7 eV and shown to be related to emission from the sapphire substrates.

Terahertz characterization of Y2O3-added AlN ceramics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kang, Seung Beom; Chung, Dong Chul; Kim, Sung-Jin; Chung, Jun-Ki; Park, Sang-Yeup; Kim, Ki-Chul; Kwak, Min Hwan

2016-12-01

Terahertz optical and dielectric properties of AlN ceramics fabricated by hot pressed sintering are investigated by THz time-domain spectroscopy in the frequency range of 0.2-3.5 THz. The measured properties of the pure AlN ceramic are compared with those of Y2O3-added AlN ceramic. Two prominent resonance modes, which are essentially responsible for the dielectric properties of the Y2O3-added AlN in terahertz regime, are characterized at ωTO1/(2π) = 2.76 THz (92 cm-1) and ωTO2/(2π) = 18.2 THz (605 cm-1) and are well described by the pseudo-harmonic oscillator model through theoretical fitting. The resonance ωTO1 at 2.76 THz is proposed to be due to the formation of a YAG (Y3Al5O12) secondary phase in Y2O3-added AlN ceramic. From the experimental results, good correlation is observed between the prominent peak of YAG secondary phase at 2.76 THz and thermal conductivity. Additionally, there is a high correlation between densification and refractive index of AlN ceramics fabricated by hot pressed sintering.

Growth of InN on Ge substrate by molecular beam epitaxy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Trybus, Elaissa; Namkoong, Gon; Henderson, Walter; Doolittle, W. Alan; Liu, Rong; Mei, Jin; Ponce, Fernando; Cheung, Maurice; Chen, Fei; Furis, Madalina; Cartwright, Alexander

2005-06-01

InN epitaxial growth on a (1 1 1)-oriented, Ga-doped germanium substrate using molecular beam epitaxy is described. X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy investigations have shown that the InN epitaxial layer consists of a wurtzite structure, which has the epitaxial relationship of (0 0 0 1) InN∥(1 1 1) Ge. Transmission electron microscopy shows an intermediate layer at the interface between the InN/Ge substrate. Consistent with recent reports implying a narrow bandgap of InN [Phys. Stat Sol. B 229 (2002) R1, Appl. Phys. Lett. 80 (2002) 3967], a strong photoluminescence with peak energy of 0.69 eV at 15 K was observed for this InN epilayer, in contrast to the peak energy of 0.71 eV for Ga-doped Ge under the same measurement conditions.

Growth evolution of AlN films on silicon (111) substrates by pulsed laser deposition

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wang, Haiyan; Wang, Wenliang; Yang, Weijia

2015-05-14

AlN films with various thicknesses have been grown on Si(111) substrates by pulsed laser deposition (PLD). The surface morphology and structural property of the as-grown AlN films have been investigated carefully to comprehensively explore the epitaxial behavior. The ∼2 nm-thick AlN film initially grown on Si substrate exhibits an atomically flat surface with a root-mean-square surface roughness of 0.23 nm. As the thickness increases, AlN grains gradually grow larger, causing a relatively rough surface. The surface morphology of ∼120 nm-thick AlN film indicates that AlN islands coalesce together and eventually form AlN layers. The decreasing growth rate from 240 to 180 nm/h is amore » direct evidence that the growth mode of AlN films grown on Si substrates by PLD changes from the islands growth to the layer growth. The evolution of AlN films throughout the growth is studied deeply, and its corresponding growth mechanism is hence proposed. These results are instructional for the growth of high-quality nitride films on Si substrates by PLD, and of great interest for the fabrication of AlN-based devices.« less

AlN metal-semiconductor field-effect transistors using Si-ion implantation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Okumura, Hironori; Suihkonen, Sami; Lemettinen, Jori; Uedono, Akira; Zhang, Yuhao; Piedra, Daniel; Palacios, Tomás

2018-04-01

We report on the electrical characterization of Si-ion implanted AlN layers and the first demonstration of metal-semiconductor field-effect transistors (MESFETs) with an ion-implanted AlN channel. The ion-implanted AlN layers with Si dose of 5 × 1014 cm-2 exhibit n-type characteristics after thermal annealing at 1230 °C. The ion-implanted AlN MESFETs provide good drain current saturation and stable pinch-off operation even at 250 °C. The off-state breakdown voltage is 2370 V for drain-to-gate spacing of 25 µm. These results show the great potential of AlN-channel transistors for high-temperature and high-power applications.

Metal organic vapour-phase epitaxy growth of GaN wires on Si (111) for light-emitting diode applications

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

GaN wires are grown on a Si (111) substrate by metal organic vapour-phase epitaxy on a thin deposited AlN blanket and through a thin SiNx layer formed spontaneously at the AlN/Si interface. N-doped wires are used as templates for the growth of core-shell InGaN/GaN multiple quantum wells coated by a p-doped shell. Standing single-wire heterostructures are connected using a metallic tip and a Si substrate backside contact, and the electroluminescence at room temperature and forward bias is demonstrated at 420 nm. This result points out the feasibility of lower cost nitride-based wires for light-emitting diode applications. PMID:23391377

Systematic approach to developing empirical interatomic potentials for III-N semiconductors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ito, Tomonori; Akiyama, Toru; Nakamura, Kohji

2016-05-01

A systematic approach to the derivation of empirical interatomic potentials is developed for III-N semiconductors with the aid of ab initio calculations. The parameter values of empirical potential based on bond order potential are determined by reproducing the cohesive energy differences among 3-fold coordinated hexagonal, 4-fold coordinated zinc blende, wurtzite, and 6-fold coordinated rocksalt structures in BN, AlN, GaN, and InN. The bond order p is successfully introduced as a function of the coordination number Z in the form of p = a exp(-bZn ) if Z ≤ 4 and p = (4/Z)α if Z ≥ 4 in empirical interatomic potential. Moreover, the energy difference between wurtzite and zinc blende structures can be successfully evaluated by considering interaction beyond the second-nearest neighbors as a function of ionicity. This approach is feasible for developing empirical interatomic potentials applicable to a system consisting of poorly coordinated atoms at surfaces and interfaces including nanostructures.

Optical models for radio-frequency-magnetron reactively sputtered AlN films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Easwarakhanthan, T.; Assouar, M. B.; Pigeat, P.; Alnot, P.

2005-10-01

The optical properties of aluminum nitrate (AlN) films reactively sputtered on Si substrates using radio-frequency (rf) magnetron have been studied in this work from multiwavelength spectroscopic ellipsometry (SE) measurements performed over the 290-615 nm wavelength range. The SE modeling carried out with care to adhere as much to the ellipsometric fitting qualities is also backed up with atomic force microscopy and x-ray-diffraction measurements taken on these films thus grown to nominal thicknesses from 40 to 150 nm under the same optimized experimental conditions. It follows that the model describing the optical properties of the thicker AlN films should consist at least in three layers on the Si substrate: an almost roughnessless smooth surface overlayer that is presumed essentially of Al2O3, a bulk AlN layer, and an AlN interface layer that has a refractive index dispersion falling in the range from 2.04 [312 nm] to 1.91 [615 nm] on the average and is fairly distinguishable from the slightly higher bulk layer index which drops correspondingly from 2.12 to 1.99. These index values imply that, beneath the partly or mostly oxidized surface AlN layer, the films comprise a polycrystalline-structured bulk AlN layer above a less-microstructurally-ordered interface layer that extends over 40-55 nm from the substrate among thicker films. This ellipsometric evidence indicating the existence of the interface layer is consistent with those interface layers confirmed through electron microscopy in some previous works. However, the ellipsometrically insufficient thinner AlN films may be only modeled with the surface layer and an AlN layer. The film surface oxide layer thickness varies between 5 and 15 nm among samples. The refractive index dispersions, the layer thicknesses, and the lateral thickness variation of the films are given and discussed regarding the optical constitution of these films and the ellipsometric validity of these parameters.

Characteristics of InN epilayers grown with H2-assistance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhou, Jin; Li, Jinchai; Lu, Shiqiang; Kang, Junyong; Lin, Wei

2017-11-01

A series of InN films were grown on GaN-on-sapphire template with H2 pulse flow by metal organic vapor phase epitaxy. The scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy observations demonstrate that the smooth surface has been achieved. The X-ray diffraction and Raman spectra measurements indicate that InN layers experience stronger accommodated compressive stress, resulting in a larger fraction of (002) oriented InN grains. On the basics of the first-principles calculations, these features can be understand as competition between N-penetrating effect with the assistance of the H atom and the etching effect of H2. Finally, the absorption spectra in conjunction with simulated results reveal that the band gap energy predominantly increase with increasing compressive strain.

Nanoair-bridged lateral overgrowth of GaN on ordered nanoporous GaN template

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Y. D.; Zang, K. Y.; Chua, S. J.; Tripathy, S.; Chen, P.; Fonstad, C. G.

2005-12-01

We report the growth of high-quality GaN epilayers on an ordered nanoporous GaN template by metalorganic chemical vapor deposition. The nanopores in GaN template were created by inductively coupled plasma etching using anodic aluminum oxide film as an etch mask. The average pore diameter and interpore distance is about 65 and 110nm, respectively. Subsequent overgrowth of GaN first begins at the GaN crystallite surface between the pores, and then air-bridge-mediated lateral overgrowth leads to the formation of the continuous layer. Microphotoluminescence and micro-Raman measurements show improved optical properties and significant strain relaxation in the overgrown layer when compared to GaN layer of same thickness simultaneously grown on sapphire without any template. Similar to conventional epitaxial lateral overgrown GaN, such overgrown GaN on a nanopatterned surface would also serve as a template for the growth of ultraviolet-visible light-emitting III-nitride devices.

The Oxidation of AlN in Dry and Wet Oxygen

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Opila, Elizabeth; Humphrey, Donald; Jacobson, Nathan; Yoshio, Tetsuo; Oda, Kohei

1998-01-01

The oxidation kinetics of AlN containing 3.5 wt% Y2O3 were studied by thermogravimetric analysis in dry oxygen and 10% H2O/balance oxygen at temperatures between 1000 and 1200 C for times between 48 and 100 h. The oxidation kinetics for AlN in dry oxygen were parabolic and of approximately the same magnitude and temperature dependence as other alumina forming materials. In this case, diffusion of oxygen and/or aluminum through the alumina scale is the rate limiting mechanism. The oxidation kinetics for AlN in wet oxygen were nearly linear and much more rapid than rates observed in dry oxygen. Numerous micropores were observed in the alumina formed on AIN in wet oxygen. These pores provide a fast path for oxygen transport. The linear kinetics observed in this case suggest that the interface reaction rate of AlN with wet oxygen is the oxidation rate limiting step.

First-principles study on stability, and growth strategies of small AlnZr (n=1-9) clusters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Zhi; Zhou, Zhonghao; Wang, Hongbin; Li, Shengli; Zhao, Zhen

2016-09-01

The geometries, relative stability as well as growth strategies of the AlnZr (n=1-9) clusters are investigated with spin polarized density functional theory: BLYP. The results reveal that the AlnZr clusters are more likely to form the dense accumulation structures than the AlN (N=1-10) clusters. The average binding energies of AlnZr are higher than those of AlN clusters. The AlnZr (n=3, 5, and 7) clusters are more stable than others by the differences of the total binding energies. Mülliken population analysis for the AlnZr clusters shows that the electron's adsorption ability of Zr is slightly lower than that of Al except for AlZr cluster. Local peaks of the HOMO-LUMO gap curve are found at n=3, 5, and 7. The reaction energies of AlnZr are higher, which means that AlnZr clusters are easier to react with Al clusters. Zr atom preferential reacts with Al2 cluster. Local peaks of the magnetic dipole moments are found at n=2, 5, and 8.

Synthesis and characterization of InN nanocrystals on glass substrate by plasma assisted reactive evaporation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ganesh, V.; Alizadeh, M.; Shuhaimi, A.; Sundaram, S.; Hakim, K. M.; Goh, B. T.; Rahman, S. A.

2017-07-01

InN nanocrystals were grown on glass substrate by plasma assisted reactive evaporation technique and the quality was compared with InN on Si (111) substrate. Single phase InN was confirmed by X-ray diffraction and micro Raman analysis on both the substrates. Agglomerated and Hexagonal faceting nanocrystals observed by field emission scanning electron microscopy. Energy dispersive X-ray analysis shows InN nanocrystals are nearly stochiometric. Photoluminescence reveals a broad emission near bandedge at 2 .04 eV and defect band at 1.07 eV. The Hall measurement on both the substrates reveals high electron carrier concentration. These encouraging results obtained suggested that high quality single crystalline InN can be obtained on glass substrate further optimizing the growth parameters. This novel growth of InN nanocrystals on glass substrate is an important step towards the development of monolithic, high efficiency low-cost InGaN-based renewable energy sources.

Growth kinetics and structural perfection of (InN){sub 1}/(GaN){sub 1–20} short-period superlattices on +c-GaN template in dynamic atomic layer epitaxy

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kusakabe, Kazuhide; Hashimoto, Naoki; Wang, Ke

2016-04-11

The growth kinetics and structural perfection of (InN){sub 1}/(GaN){sub 1–20} short-period superlattices (SPSs) were investigated with their application to ordered alloys in mind. The SPSs were grown on +c-GaN template at 650 °C by dynamic atomic layer epitaxy in conventional plasma-assisted molecular beam epitaxy. It was found that coherent structured InN/GaN SPSs could be fabricated when the thickness of the GaN barrier was 4 ML or above. Below 3 ML, the formation of SPSs was quite difficult owing to the increased strain in the SPS structure caused by the use of GaN as a template. The effective or average In composition of themore » (InN){sub 1}/(GaN){sub 4} SPSs was around 10%, and the corresponding InN coverage in the ∼1 ML-thick InN wells was 50%. It was found that the effective InN coverage in ∼1 ML-thick InN wells could be varied with the growth conditions. In fact, the effective In composition could be increased up to 13.5%, i.e., the corresponding effective InN coverage was about 68%, by improving the capping/freezing speed by increasing the growth rate of the GaN barrier layer.« less

Electrical contact of wurtzite GaN mircrodisks on p-type GaN template

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tsai, Cheng-Da; Lo, Ikai; Wang, Ying-Chieh; Hsu, Yu-Chi; Shih, Cheng-Hung; Pang, Wen-Yuan; You, Shuo-Ting; Hu, Chia-Hsuan; Chou, Mitch M. C.; Yang, Chen-Chi; Lin, Yu-Chiao

2015-03-01

We developed a back processing to fabricate a secure electrical contact of wurtzite GaN microdisk on a transparent p-type GaN template with the orientation, [10-10]disk // [10-10]template. GaN microdisks were grown on LiAlO2 substrate by using plasma-assisted molecular beam epitaxy. In the further study, we analyzed the TEM specimen of a sample with annealed GaN microdisk/p-typed GaN template by selection area diffraction (SAD) to confirm the alignment of the microdisks with the template at the interface. From the I-V measurements performed on the samples, we obtained a threshold voltage of ~ 5.9 V for the current passing through the GaN microdisks with a resistance of ~ 45 K Ω. The electrical contact can be applied to the nanometer-scaled GaN light-emitting diode.

High-quality AlN grown on a thermally decomposed sapphire surface

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hagedorn, S.; Knauer, A.; Brunner, F.; Mogilatenko, A.; Zeimer, U.; Weyers, M.

2017-12-01

In this study we show how to realize a self-assembled nano-patterned sapphire surface on 2 inch diameter epi-ready wafer and the subsequent AlN overgrowth both in the same metal-organic vapor phase epitaxial process. For this purpose in-situ annealing in H2 environment was applied prior to AlN growth to thermally decompose the c-plane oriented sapphire surface. By proper AlN overgrowth management misoriented grains that start to grow on non c-plane oriented facets of the roughened sapphire surface could be overcome. We achieved crack-free, atomically flat AlN layers of 3.5 μm thickness. The layers show excellent material quality homogeneously over the whole wafer as proved by the full width at half maximum of X-ray measured ω-rocking curves of 120 arcsec to 160 arcsec for the 002 reflection and 440 arcsec to 550 arcsec for the 302 reflection. The threading dislocation density is 2 ∗ 109 cm-2 which shows that the annealing and overgrowth process investigated in this work leads to cost-efficient AlN templates for UV LED devices.

Understanding AlN Obtaining Through Computational Thermodynamics Combined with Experimental Investigation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Florea, R. M.

2017-06-01

Basic material concept, technology and some results of studies on aluminum matrix composite with dispersive aluminum nitride reinforcement was shown. Studied composites were manufactured by „in situ” technique. Aluminum nitride (AlN) has attracted large interest recently, because of its high thermal conductivity, good dielectric properties, high flexural strength, thermal expansion coefficient matches that of Si and its non-toxic nature, as a suitable material for hybrid integrated circuit substrates. AlMg alloys are the best matrix for AlN obtaining. Al2O3-AlMg, AlN-Al2O3, and AlN-AlMg binary diagrams were thermodynamically modelled. The obtained Gibbs free energies of components, solution parameters and stoichiometric phases were used to build a thermodynamic database of AlN- Al2O3-AlMg system. Obtaining of AlN with Liquid-phase of AlMg as matrix has been studied and compared with the thermodynamic results. The secondary phase microstructure has a significant effect on the final thermal conductivity of the obtained AlN. Thermodynamic modelling of AlN-Al2O3-AlMg system provided an important basis for understanding the obtaining behavior and interpreting the experimental results.

Understanding the growth of micro and nano-crystalline AlN by thermal plasma process

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kanhe, Nilesh S.; Nawale, Ashok B.; Gawade, Rupesh L.; Puranik, Vedavati G.; Bhoraskar, Sudha V.; Das, Asoka K.; Mathe, Vikas L.

2012-01-01

We report the studies related to the growth of crystalline AlN in a DC thermal plasma reactor, operated by a transferred arc plasma torch. The reactor is capable of producing the nanoparticles of Al and AlN depending on the composition of the reacting gas. Al and AlN micro crystals are formed at the anode placed on the graphite and nano crystalline Al and AlN gets deposited on the inner surface of the plasma reactor. X-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy analysis, single crystal X-ray diffraction and TGA-DTA techniques are used to infer the purity of post process crystals as a hexagonal AlN. The average particle size using SEM was found to be around 30 μm. The morphology of nanoparticles of Al and AlN, nucleated by gas phase condensation in a homogeneous medium were studied by transmission electron microscopy analysis. The particle ranged in size between 15 and 80 nm in diameter. The possible growth mechanism of crystalline AlN at the anode has been explained on the basis of non-equilibrium processes in the core of the plasma and steep temperature gradient near its periphery. The gas phase species of AlN and various constituent were computed using Murphy code based on minimization of free energy. The process provides 50% yield of microcrystalline AlN and remaining of Al at anode and that of nanocrystalline h-AlN and c-Al collected from the walls of the chamber is about 33% and 67%, respectively.

Low-temperature self-limiting atomic layer deposition of wurtzite InN on Si(100)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Haider, Ali, E-mail: ali.haider@bilkent.edu.tr, E-mail: biyikli@unam.bilkent.edu.tr; Kizir, Seda; Biyikli, Necmi, E-mail: ali.haider@bilkent.edu.tr, E-mail: biyikli@unam.bilkent.edu.tr

2016-04-15

In this work, we report on self-limiting growth of InN thin films at substrate temperatures as low as 200 °C by hollow-cathode plasma-assisted atomic layer deposition (HCPA-ALD). The precursors used in growth experiments were trimethylindium (TMI) and N{sub 2} plasma. Process parameters including TMI pulse time, N{sub 2} plasma exposure time, purge time, and deposition temperature have been optimized for self-limiting growth of InN with in ALD window. With the increase in exposure time of N{sub 2} plasma from 40 s to 100 s at 200 °C, growth rate showed a significant decrease from 1.60 to 0.64 Å/cycle. At 200 °C, growth ratemore » saturated as 0.64 Å/cycle for TMI dose starting from 0.07 s. Structural, optical, and morphological characterization of InN were carried out in detail. X-ray diffraction measurements revealed the hexagonal wurtzite crystalline structure of the grown InN films. Refractive index of the InN film deposited at 200 °C was found to be 2.66 at 650 nm. 48 nm-thick InN films exhibited relatively smooth surfaces with Rms surface roughness values of 0.98 nm, while the film density was extracted as 6.30 g/cm{sup 3}. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) measurements depicted the peaks of indium, nitrogen, carbon, and oxygen on the film surface and quantitative information revealed that films are nearly stoichiometric with rather low impurity content. In3d and N1s high-resolution scans confirmed the presence of InN with peaks located at 443.5 and 396.8 eV, respectively. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and selected area electron diffraction (SAED) further confirmed the polycrystalline structure of InN thin films and elemental mapping revealed uniform distribution of indium and nitrogen along the scanned area of the InN film. Spectral absorption measurements exhibited an optical band edge around 1.9 eV. Our findings demonstrate that HCPA-ALD might be a promising technique to grow crystalline wurtzite InN thin films at low substrate

MOVPE growth of nitrogen- and aluminum-polar AlN on 4H-SiC

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lemettinen, J.; Okumura, H.; Kim, I.; Rudzinski, M.; Grzonka, J.; Palacios, T.; Suihkonen, S.

2018-04-01

We present a comprehensive study on metal-organic vapor phase epitaxy growth of N-polar and Al -polar AlN on 4H-SiC with 4° miscut using constant growth parameters. At a high temperature of 1165 °C, N-polar AlN layers had high crystalline quality whereas the Al-polar AlN surfaces had a high density of etch pits. For N-polar AlN, the V/III ratio below 1000 forms hexagonal hillocks, while the V/III ratio over 1000 yields step bunching without the hillocks. 1-μm-thick N-polar AlN layer grown in optimal conditions exhibited FWHMs of 307, 330 and 337 arcsec for (0 0 2), (1 0 2) and (2 0 1) reflections, respectively.

Powder-XRD and (14) N magic angle-spinning solid-state NMR spectroscopy of some metal nitrides.

PubMed

Kempgens, Pierre; Britton, Jonathan

2016-05-01

Some metal nitrides (TiN, ZrN, InN, GaN, Ca3 N2 , Mg3 N2 , and Ge3 N4 ) have been studied by powder X-ray diffraction (XRD) and (14) N magic angle-spinning (MAS) solid-state NMR spectroscopy. For Ca3 N2 , Mg3 N2 , and Ge3 N4 , no (14) N NMR signal was observed. Low speed (νr  = 2 kHz for TiN, ZrN, and GaN; νr  = 1 kHz for InN) and 'high speed' (νr  = 15 kHz for TiN; νr  = 5 kHz for ZrN; νr  = 10 kHz for InN and GaN) MAS NMR experiments were performed. For TiN, ZrN, InN, and GaN, powder-XRD was used to identify the phases present in each sample. The number of peaks observed for each sample in their (14) N MAS solid-state NMR spectrum matches perfectly well with the number of nitrogen-containing phases identified by powder-XRD. The (14) N MAS solid-state NMR spectra are symmetric and dominated by the quadrupolar interaction. The envelopes of the spinning sidebands manifold are Lorentzian, and it is concluded that there is a distribution of the quadrupolar coupling constants Qcc 's arising from structural defects in the compounds studied. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Growth mechanism and microstructure of low defect density InN (0001) In-face thin films on Si (111) substrates

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kehagias, Th.; Dimitrakopulos, G. P.; Koukoula, T.

2013-10-28

Transmission electron microscopy has been employed to analyze the direct nucleation and growth, by plasma-assisted molecular beam epitaxy, of high quality InN (0001) In-face thin films on (111) Si substrates. Critical steps of the heteroepitaxial growth process are InN nucleation at low substrate temperature under excessively high N-flux conditions and subsequent growth of the main InN epilayer at the optimum conditions, namely, substrate temperature 400–450 °C and In/N flux ratio close to 1. InN nucleation occurs in the form of a very high density of three dimensional (3D) islands, which coalesce very fast into a low surface roughness InN film.more » The reduced reactivity of Si at low temperature and its fast coverage by InN limit the amount of unintentional Si nitridation by the excessively high nitrogen flux and good bonding/adhesion of the InN film directly on the Si substrate is achieved. The subsequent overgrowth of the main InN epilayer, in a layer-by-layer growth mode that enhances the lateral growth of InN, reduces significantly the crystal mosaicity and the density of threading dislocations is about an order of magnitude less compared to InN films grown using an AlN/GaN intermediate nucleation/buffer layer on Si. The InN films exhibit the In-face polarity and very smooth atomically stepped surfaces.« less

Evidence for graphite-like hexagonal AlN nanosheets epitaxially grown on single crystal Ag(111)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Tsipas, P.; Kassavetis, S.; Tsoutsou, D.

Ultrathin (sub-monolayer to 12 monolayers) AlN nanosheets are grown epitaxially by plasma assisted molecular beam epitaxy on Ag(111) single crystals. Electron diffraction and scanning tunneling microscopy provide evidence that AlN on Ag adopts a graphite-like hexagonal structure with a larger lattice constant compared to bulk-like wurtzite AlN. This claim is further supported by ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy indicating a reduced energy bandgap as expected for hexagonal AlN.

Ultraviolet light-absorbing and emitting diodes consisting of a p-type transparent-semiconducting NiO film deposited on an n-type GaN homoepitaxial layer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nakai, Hiroshi; Sugiyama, Mutsumi; Chichibu, Shigefusa F.

2017-05-01

Gallium nitride (GaN) and related (Al,Ga,In)N alloys provide practical benefits in the production of light-emitting diodes (LEDs) and laser diodes operating in ultraviolet (UV) to green wavelength regions. However, obtaining low resistivity p-type AlN or AlGaN of large bandgap energies (Eg) is a critical issue in fabricating UV and deep UV-LEDs. NiO is a promising candidate for useful p-type transparent-semiconducting films because its Eg is 4.0 eV and it can be doped into p-type conductivity of sufficiently low resistivity. By using these technologies, heterogeneous junction diodes consisting of a p-type transparent-semiconducting polycrystalline NiO film on an n-type single crystalline GaN epilayer on a low threading-dislocation density, free-standing GaN substrate were fabricated. The NiO film was deposited by using the conventional RF-sputtering method, and the GaN homoepitaxial layer was grown by metalorganic vapor phase epitaxy. They exhibited a significant photovoltaic effect under UV light and also exhibited an electroluminescence peak at 3.26 eV under forward-biased conditions. From the conduction and valence band (EV) discontinuities, the NiO/GaN heterointerface is assigned to form a staggered-type (TYPE-II) band alignment with the EV of NiO higher by 2.0 eV than that of GaN. A rectifying property that is consistent with the proposed band diagram was observed in the current-voltage characteristics. These results indicate that polycrystalline NiO functions as a hole-extracting and injecting layer of UV optoelectronic devices.

Structure guided GANs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cao, Feidao; Zhao, Huaici; Liu, Pengfei

2017-11-01

Generative adversarial networks (GANs) has achieved success in many fields. However, there are some samples generated by many GAN-based works, whose structure is ambiguous. In this work, we propose Structure Guided GANs that introduce structural similar into GANs to overcome the problem. In order to achieve our goal, we introduce an encoder and a decoder into a generator to design a new generator and take real samples as part of the input of a generator. And we modify the loss function of the generator accordingly. By comparison with WGAN, experimental results show that our proposed method overcomes largely sample structure ambiguous and can generate higher quality samples.

The influence of point defects on the thermal conductivity of AlN crystals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rounds, Robert; Sarkar, Biplab; Alden, Dorian; Guo, Qiang; Klump, Andrew; Hartmann, Carsten; Nagashima, Toru; Kirste, Ronny; Franke, Alexander; Bickermann, Matthias; Kumagai, Yoshinao; Sitar, Zlatko; Collazo, Ramón

2018-05-01

The average bulk thermal conductivity of free-standing physical vapor transport and hydride vapor phase epitaxy single crystal AlN samples with different impurity concentrations is analyzed using the 3ω method in the temperature range of 30-325 K. AlN wafers grown by physical vapor transport show significant variation in thermal conductivity at room temperature with values ranging between 268 W/m K and 339 W/m K. AlN crystals grown by hydride vapor phase epitaxy yield values between 298 W/m K and 341 W/m K at room temperature, suggesting that the same fundamental mechanisms limit the thermal conductivity of AlN grown by both techniques. All samples in this work show phonon resonance behavior resulting from incorporated point defects. Samples shown by optical analysis to contain carbon-silicon complexes exhibit higher thermal conductivity above 100 K. Phonon scattering by point defects is determined to be the main limiting factor for thermal conductivity of AlN within the investigated temperature range.

Mechanical and physicochemical properties of AlN thin films obtained by pulsed laser deposition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cibert, C.; Tétard, F.; Djemia, P.; Champeaux, C.; Catherinot, A.; Tétard, D.

2004-10-01

AlN thin films have been deposited on Si(100) substrates by a pulsed laser deposition method. The deposition parameters (pressure, temperature, purity of target) play an important role in the mechanical and physicochemical properties. The films have been characterized using X-ray diffraction, atomic force microscopy, Brillouin light scattering, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and wettability testing. With a high purity target of AlN and a temperature deposition of 750 ∘C, the measured Rayleigh wave velocity is close to the one previously determined for AlN films grown at high temperature by metal-organic chemical vapour deposition. Growth of nanocrystalline AlN at low temperature and of AlN film with good crystallinity for samples deposited at higher temperature is confirmed by infrared spectroscopy, as it was by atomic force microscopy, in agreement with X-ray diffraction results. A high hydrophobicity has been measured with zero polar contribution for the surface energy. These results confirm that films made by pulsed laser deposition of pure AlN at relatively low temperature have good prospects for microelectromechanical systems applications.

Development of Advanced Ill-Nitride Materials

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-09-24

have continued to work on InN and related materials. During the last year, we have completed many of our basic materials studies and extended our...conductivity of InN films The origin of bulk electrons in In-face InN has been studied by considering the effects of both unintentionally incorporated... studied in In- and N-face InN films grown on GaN by plasma-assisted molecular beam epitaxy. The TD densities were determined by non-destructive x-ray

A Microstructural Analysis of Orientation Variation in Epitaxial AlN on Si, Its Probable Origin, and Effect on Subsequent GaN Growth

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Beye, R.; George, T.; Yang, J. W.; Khan, M. A.

1996-01-01

A structural examination of aluminum nitride growth on [111] silicon was carried out using transmission electron microscopy. Electron diffraction indicates that the basal planes of the wurtzitic overlayer mimic the orientation of the close-packed planes of the substrate. However, considerable, random rotation in the basal plane and random out-of-plane tilts were evident. This article examines these issues with a structural examination of AlN and GaN/AlN on silicon and compares the findings to those reported in the literature.

Ab initio modeling of zincblende AlN layer in Al-AlN-TiN multilayers

DOE PAGES

Yadav, S. K.; Wang, J.; Liu, X. -Y.

2016-06-13

An unusual growth mechanism of metastable zincblende AlN thin film by diffusion of nitrogen atoms into Al lattice is established. Using first-principles density functional theory, we studied the possibility of thermodynamic stability of AlN as a zincblende phase due to epitaxial strains and interface effect, which fails to explain the formation of zincblende AlN. We then compared the formation energetics of rocksalt and zincblende AlN in fcc Al through direct diffusion of nitrogen atoms to Al octahedral and tetrahedral interstitials. Furthermore, the formation of a zincblende AlN thin film is determined to be a kinetically driven process, not a thermodynamicallymore » driven process.« less

Depth-resolved cathodoluminescence of a homoepitaxial AlN thin film

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Silveira, E.; Freitas, J. A.; Slack, G. A.; Schowalter, L. J.; Kneissl, M.; Treat, D. W.; Johnson, N. M.

2005-07-01

In the present work we will report on the optical properties of an AlN film homoepitaxially grown on a high-quality large bulk AlN single crystal. The latter was grown by a sublimation-recondensation technique, while the film was grown by organometallic vapor-phase epitaxy. Cathodoluminescence measurements were performed using electron beam energies between 2 and 10 keV in order to excite the sample and so to probe different sample depths, making it possible to differentiate between different features which originate in the AlN homoepitaxial film. The penetration depth has been determined through the calculation of the Bohr-Bethe maximum range of excitation using the approximation to the Everhart-Hoff expression for the energy loss within a solid.

Epitaxial relationship of semipolar s-plane (1101) InN grown on r-plane sapphire

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Dimitrakopulos, G. P.

2012-07-02

The heteroepitaxy of semipolar s-plane (1101) InN grown directly on r-plane sapphire by plasma-assisted molecular beam epitaxy is studied using transmission electron microscopy techniques. The epitaxial relationship is determined to be (1101){sub InN} Parallel-To (1102){sub Al{sub 2O{sub 3}}}, [1120]{sub InN} Parallel-To [2021]{sub Al{sub 2O{sub 3}}}, [1102]{sub InN}{approx} Parallel-To [0221]{sub Al{sub 2O{sub 3}}}, which ensures a 0.7% misfit along [1120]{sub InN}. Two orientation variants are identified. Proposed geometrical factors contributing to the high density of basal stacking faults, partial dislocations, and sphalerite cubic pockets include the misfit accommodation and reduction, as well as the accommodation of lattice twist.

Defect reduction in MBE-grown AlN by multicycle rapid thermal annealing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Greenlee, Jordan D.; Gunning, Brendan; Feigelson, Boris N.; Anderson, Travis J.; Koehler, Andrew D.; Hobart, Karl D.; Kub, Francis J.; Doolittle, W. Alan

2016-01-01

Multicycle rapid thermal annealing (MRTA) is shown to reduce the defect density of molecular beam epitaxially grown AlN films. No damage to the AlN surface occurred after performing the MRTA process at 1520°C. However, the individual grain structure was altered, with the emergence of step edges. This change in grain structure and diffusion of AlN resulted in an improvement in the crystalline structure. The Raman E2 linewidth decreased, confirming an improvement in crystal quality. The optical band edge of the AlN maintained the expected value of 6.2 eV throughout MRTA annealing, and the band edge sharpened after MRTA annealing at increased temperatures, providing further evidence of crystalline improvement. X-ray diffraction shows a substantial improvement in the (002) and (102) rocking curve FWHM for both the 1400 and 1520°C MRTA annealing conditions compared to the as-grown films, indicating that the screw and edge type dislocation densities decreased. Overall, the MRTA post-growth annealing of AlN lowers defect density, and thus will be a key step to improving optoelectronic and power electronic devices. [Figure not available: see fulltext.

Wide-bandgap III-Nitride based Second Harmonic Generation

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-10-02

fabrication process for a GaN LPS. Fig. 1: 3-step Fabrication process of a GaN based lateral polar structure. ( a ) Growth of a 20 nm AlN buffer layer...etching of the LT-AlN stripes. This results are shown in Fig. 2 ( a ) and (b). Fig. 2: AFM images of KOH ( a ) and RIE (b) patterned templates for lateral ...was varied between 0.6 - 1.0. FIG. 3: Growth process of AlGaN based Lateral Polar Structures. ( a ) RIE patterning. (b) Growth of HT- AlN. (c

Loss of Ductility Caused by AlN Precipitation in Hadfield Steel

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Radis, Rene; Schlacher, Christian; Kozeschnik, Ernst; Mayr, Peter; Enzinger, Norbert; Schröttner, Hartmuth; Sommitsch, Christof

2012-04-01

Two modified X120Mn12 Hadfield steels, differing in the amount of the alloying elements Al and N, are analyzed with respect to AlN precipitation and its effects on ductility. Charpy impact tests are performed, demonstrating the loss of ductility in the one grade containing a high density of AlN precipitates. The characterization of the precipitates is carried out by high-resolution scanning electron microscopy (HRSEM). Depending on chemical composition, primary and secondary AlN precipitates are detected on prior austenite grain boundaries and within the bulk volume. The experimental observations are confirmed by thermokinetic simulations, using the software package MatCalc (Vienna University of Technology, Vienna, Austria).

Mechanical properties of nanoporous GaN and its application for separation and transfer of GaN thin films.

PubMed

Huang, Shanjin; Zhang, Yu; Leung, Benjamin; Yuan, Ge; Wang, Gang; Jiang, Hao; Fan, Yingmin; Sun, Qian; Wang, Jianfeng; Xu, Ke; Han, Jung

2013-11-13

Nanoporous (NP) gallium nitride (GaN) as a new class of GaN material has many interesting properties that the conventional GaN material does not have. In this paper, we focus on the mechanical properties of NP GaN, and the detailed physical mechanism of porous GaN in the application of liftoff. A decrease in elastic modulus and hardness was identified in NP GaN compared to the conventional GaN film. The promising application of NP GaN as release layers in the mechanical liftoff of GaN thin films and devices was systematically studied. A phase diagram was generated to correlate the initial NP GaN profiles with the as-overgrown morphologies of the NP structures. The fracture toughness of the NP GaN release layer was studied in terms of the voided-space-ratio. It is shown that the transformed morphologies and fracture toughness of the NP GaN layer after overgrowth strongly depends on the initial porosity of NP GaN templates. The mechanical separation and transfer of a GaN film over a 2 in. wafer was demonstrated, which proves that this technique is useful in practical applications.

[Opinions and attitudes of Flemish pharmacists and general practitioners towards INN prescribing. A survery in Antwerp and East Flanders].

PubMed

Fraeyman, J; De Winter, J; De Loof, H; Van Hal, G; Beutels, P; Remmen, R; De Meyer, G R Y

2013-06-01

Since 2002 in Belgium, physicians are allowed to prescribe by International Non-proprietary Name (INN). In 2005, the conditions for this decree were set. Examples from other countries have shown that INN prescribing can significantly contribute to controlling pharmaceutical expenditures. The share of INN prescriptions remains low in Belgium (7% in 2011). To formulate an answer to the question: what are the opinions and attitudes of pharmacists and general practitioners [GP's] with regards to INN prescribing? In the winter of 2011-2012, a questionnaire with closed-ended questions was send to pharmacists and GP's in the provinces of Antwerp and East-Flanders, through training days and personal visits. Pharmacists and GP's scored a list of statements with a 5-point Likert scale. The themes of the statements related to: delivering INN prescriptions, legislation, impact on expenditures, choices regarding patient concerns and interprofessional relations. In total, 353 questionnaires were completed and returned of which 228 165%1 were by pharmacists and 125 (35%1 by GP's. Although both declared to be sufficiently up to date with regulations to prescribe (84%) or to deliver (95%] a INN prescription, only 13% of the pharmacists said all prescription they receive contain the correct information. Less GP's [36%) than pharmacists (82%] feel aided by their software program when prescribing or delivering an INN prescription. GP's rely mostly on NIHDI (National Institute for Health and Disability Insurance) as the main source for information on INN prescribing, pharmacists rely on the [Local) pharmacists association. The pharmacists and GP's in the study who relied on NIHDI as main information source, were less aware of legislation concerning INN [N2, p<0,05] than those who rely on the local professional association [N2, p<0,0001]. All pharmacists in the study said to consider the patients medication history when delivering an INN prescription for chronic treatment. However, 57

Growth of high quality AlN films on CVD diamond by RF reactive magnetron sputtering

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Liang-xian; Liu, Hao; Liu, Sheng; Li, Cheng-ming; Wang, Yi-chao; An, Kang; Hua, Chen-yi; Liu, Jin-long; Wei, Jun-jun; Hei, Li-fu; Lv, Fan-xiu

2018-02-01

A highly oriented AlN layer has been successfully grown along the c-axis on a polycrystalline chemical vapor deposited (CVD) diamond by RF reactive magnetron sputtering. Structural, morphological and mechanical properties of the heterostructure were investigated by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM), Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Nano-indentation and Four-probe meter. A compact AlN film was demonstrated on the diamond layer, showing columnar grains and a low surface roughness of 1.4 nm. TEM results revealed a sharp AlN/diamond interface, which was characterized by the presence of a distinct 10 nm thick buffer layer resulting from the initial AlN growth stage. The FWHM of AlN (002) diffraction peak and its rocking curve are as low as 0.41° and 3.35° respectively, indicating a highly preferred orientation along the c-axis. AlN sputtered films deposited on glass substrates show a higher bulk resistivity (up to 3 × 1012 Ω cm), compared to AlN films deposited on diamond (∼1010 Ω cm). Finally, the film hardness and Young's modulus of AlN films on diamond are 25.8 GPa and 489.5 GPa, respectively.

Substrate dependence of TM-polarized light emission characteristics of BAlGaN/AlN quantum wells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Park, Seoung-Hwan; Ahn, Doyeol

2018-06-01

To study the substrate dependence of light emission characteristics of transverse-magnetic (TM)-polarized light emitted from BAlGaN/AlN quantum wells (QWs) grown on GaN and AlN substrates were investigated theoretically. It is found that the topmost valence subband for QW structures grown on AlN substrate, is heavy hole state (HH1) while that for QW structures grown on GaN substrate is crystal-field split off light hole state (CL1), irrespective of the boron content. Since TM-polarized light emission is associated with the light hole state, the TM-polarized emission peak of BAlGaN/AlN QW structures grown on GaN substrate is expected to be much larger than that of the QW structure grown on AlN substrate. Also, both QW structures show that the spontaneous emission peak of BAlGaN/AlN QW structures would be improved with the inclusion of the boron. However, it rapidly begins to decrease when the boron content exceeds a critical value.

In induced reconstructions of Si(1 1 1) as superlattice matched epitaxial templates for InN growth

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kuyyalil, Jithesh; Tangi, Malleswararao; Shivaprasad, S.M., E-mail: smsprasad@jncasr.ac.in

Graphical abstract: Display Omitted Highlights: ► A novel growth method to form InN at low growth temperatures. ► Use of Si reconstruction as a growth template for group III nitrides. ► Band gap variation of InN – Moss–Burstein shift – non-parabolic conduction band for InN. ► Super lattice matching epitaxy of metal induced reconstructions with III–V unit cell. -- Abstract: Indium induced surface reconstructions of Si(1 1 1)-7 × 7 are used as templates to grow high quality InN. We grow InN on Si(1 1 1)-7 × 7, Si(1 1 1)-4 × 1-In and Si(1 1 1)-1 × 1-In reconstructedmore » surfaces and study the quality of the films formed using complementary characterization tools. InN grown on Si(1 1 1)-1 × 1-In reconstruction shows superior film quality with lowest band-edge emission having a narrow full width at half maximum, intense and narrow 0 0 0 2 X-ray diffraction, low surface roughness and carrier concentration an order lower than other samples. We attribute the high quality of the film formed at 300 °C to the integral matching of InN and super lattice dimensions, we also study the reasons for the band gap variation of InN in the literature. Present study demonstrates the proposed Superlattice Matched Epitaxy can be a general approach to grow good quality InN at much lower growth temperature on compatible In induced reconstructions of the Si surface.« less

Branch-point energies and the band-structure lineup at Schottky contacts and heterostrucures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mönch, Winfried

2011-06-01

Empirical branch-point energies of Si, the group-III nitrides AlN, GaN, and InN, and the group-II and group-III oxides MgO, ZnO, Al2O3 and In2O3 are determined from experimental valance-band offsets of their heterostructures. For Si, GaN, and MgO, these values agree with the branch-point energies obtained from the barrier heights of their Schottky contacts. The empirical branch-point energies of Si and the group-III nitrides are in very good agreement with results of previously published calculations using quite different approaches such as the empirical tight-binding approximation and modern electronic-structure theory. In contrast, the empirical branch-point energies of the group-II and group-III oxides do not confirm the respective theoretical results. As at Schottky contacts, the band-structure lineup at heterostructures is also made up of a zero-charge-transfer term and an intrinsic electric-dipole contribution. Hence, valence-band offsets are not equal to the difference of the branch-point energies of the two semiconductors forming the heterostructure. The electric-dipole term may be described by the electronegativity difference of the two solids in contact. A detailed analysis of experimental Si Schottky barrier heights and heterostructure valence-band offsets explains and proves these conclusions.

Fabrication and structural studies of opal-III nitride nanocomposites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Davydov, V. Yu; Golubev, V. G.; Kartenko, N. F.; Kurdyukov, D. A.; Pevtsov, A. B.; Sharenkova, N. V.; Brogueira, P.; Schwarz, R.

2000-12-01

In this paper, regular three-dimensional systems of GaN, InN and InGaN nanoclusters have been fabricated for the first time in a void sublattice of artificial opal. The opal consisted of 220 nm diameter close packed amorphous silica spheres and had a regular sublattice of voids accessible to filling by other substances. GaN, InN and InGaN were synthesized directly in the opal voids from precursors such as metal salts and nitrogen hydrides. The composites' structures have been characterized using x-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, atomic force microscopy and optical measurements.

Strategies to indium nitride and gallium nitride nanoparticles: Low-temperature, solution-phase and precursor routes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dingman, Sean Douglas

I present new strategies to low-temperature solution-phase synthesis of indium and gallium nitride (InN and GaN) ceramic materials. The strategies include: direct conversion of precursor molecules to InN by pyrolysis, solution-phase synthesis of nanostructured InN fibers via molecular precursors and co-reactants, and synthesis of powders through reactions derived from molten-salt chemistry. Indium nitride powders are prepared by pyrolysis of the precursors R 2InN3 (R = t-Bu (1), i-Amyl(2), Et(3), i-Pr( 4)). The precursors are synthesized via azide-alkoxide exchange of R2InOMe with Me3SiN3. The precursors are coordination polymers containing five-coordinate indium centers. Pyrolysis of 1 and 2 under N2 at 400°C yields powders consisting primarily of InN with average crystal sizes of 15--35 nm. 1 yields nanocrystalline InN with average particle sizes of 7 nm at 250°C. 3 and 4 yield primarily In metal from pyrolysis. Refluxing 1 in diisopropylbenzene (203°C) in the presence of primary amines yields InN nanofibers 10--100 nm in length. InN nanofibers of up to 1 mum can be synthesized by treating 1 with 1,1-dimethylhydrazine (DMHy) The DMHy appears to control the fiber length by acting as a secondary source of active nitrogen in order to sustain fiber growth. The resulting fibers are attached to droplets of indium metal implying a solution-liquid-solid growth mechanism. Precursor 4 yields crystalline InN whiskers when reacted with DMHy. Reactions of 4 with reducing agents such as HSnBu3, yield InN nanoparticles with an average crystallite size of 16 nm. Gallium precursors R2GaN3 (R = t-Bu( 5), Me3SiCH2(6) and i-Pr( 7)), synthesized by azide-alkoxide exchange, are found to be inert toward solution decomposition and do not yield GaN. These compounds are molecular dimers and trimers unlike the indium analogs. Compound 6 displays a monomer-dimer equilibrium in benzene solution, but exists as a solid-state trimer. InN powders are also synthesized by reactions of InCl3 and

Polarity inversion of AlN film grown on nitrided a-plane sapphire substrate with pulsed DC reactive sputtering

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Noorprajuda, Marsetio; Ohtsuka, Makoto; Fukuyama, Hiroyuki

2018-04-01

The effect of oxygen partial pressure (PO2) on polarity and crystalline quality of AlN films grown on nitrided a-plane sapphire substrates by pulsed direct current (DC) reactive sputtering was investigated as a fundamental study. The polarity inversion of AlN from nitrogen (-c)-polarity to aluminum (+c)-polarity occurred during growth at a high PO2 of 9.4×103 Pa owing to Al-O octahedral formation at the interface of nitrided layer and AlN sputtered film which reset the polarity of AlN. The top part of the 1300 nm-thick AlN film sputtered at the high PO2 was polycrystallized. The crystalline quality was improved owing to the high kinetic energy of Al sputtered atom in the sputtering phenomena. Thinner AlN films were also fabricated at the high PO2 to eliminate the polycrystallization. For the 200 nm-thick AlN film sputtered at the high PO2, the full width at half-maximum values of the AlN (0002) and (10-12) X-ray diffraction rocking curves were 47 and 637 arcsec, respectively.

Electron density and currents of AlN/GaN high electron mobility transistors with thin GaN/AlN buffer layer

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bairamis, A.; Zervos, Ch.; Georgakilas, A., E-mail: alexandr@physics.uoc.gr

2014-09-15

AlN/GaN high electron mobility transistor (HEMT) structures with thin GaN/AlN buffer layer have been analyzed theoretically and experimentally, and the effects of the AlN barrier and GaN buffer layer thicknesses on two-dimensional electron gas (2DEG) density and transport properties have been evaluated. HEMT structures consisting of [300 nm GaN/ 200 nm AlN] buffer layer on sapphire were grown by plasma-assisted molecular beam epitaxy and exhibited a remarkable agreement with the theoretical calculations, suggesting a negligible influence of the crystalline defects that increase near the heteroepitaxial interface. The 2DEG density varied from 6.8 × 10{sup 12} to 2.1 × 10{sup 13} cm{sup −2} as themore » AlN barrier thickness increased from 2.2 to 4.5 nm, while a 4.5 nm AlN barrier would result to 3.1 × 10{sup 13} cm{sup −2} on a GaN buffer layer. The 3.0 nm AlN barrier structure exhibited the highest 2DEG mobility of 900 cm{sup 2}/Vs for a density of 1.3 × 10{sup 13} cm{sup −2}. The results were also confirmed by the performance of 1 μm gate-length transistors. The scaling of AlN barrier thickness from 1.5 nm to 4.5 nm could modify the drain-source saturation current, for zero gate-source voltage, from zero (normally off condition) to 0.63 A/mm. The maximum drain-source current was 1.1 A/mm for AlN barrier thickness of 3.0 nm and 3.7 nm, and the maximum extrinsic transconductance was 320 mS/mm for 3.0 nm AlN barrier.« less

Electro-acoustic sensors based on AlN thin film: possibilities and limitations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wingqvist, Gunilla

2011-06-01

The non-ferroelectric polar wurtzite aluminium nitride (AlN) material has been shown to have potential for various sensor applications both utilizing the piezoelectric effect directly for pressure sensors or indirectly for acoustic sensing of various physical, chemical and biochemical sensor applications. Especially, sputter deposited AlN thin films have played a central role for successful development of the thin film electro-acoustic technology. The development has been primarily driven by one device - the thin film bulk acoustic resonator (FBAR or TFBAR), with its primary use for high frequency filter applications for the telecom industry. AlN has been the dominating choice for commercial application due to compatibility with the integrated circuit technology, low acoustic and dielectric losses, high acoustic velocity in combination with comparably high (but still for some applications limited) electromechanical coupling. Recently, increased piezoelectric properties (and also electromechanical coupling) in the AlN through the alloying with scandium nitride (ScN) have been identified both experimentally and theoretically. Inhere, the utilization of piezoelectricity in electro-acoustic sensing will be discussed together with expectation on acoustic FBAR sensor performance with variation in piezoelectric material properties in the parameter space around AlN due to alloying, in view of the ScxAl1-xN (0

Valence and conduction band offsets of β-Ga2O3/AlN heterojunction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sun, Haiding; Torres Castanedo, C. G.; Liu, Kaikai; Li, Kuang-Hui; Guo, Wenzhe; Lin, Ronghui; Liu, Xinwei; Li, Jingtao; Li, Xiaohang

2017-10-01

Both β-Ga2O3 and wurtzite AlN have wide bandgaps of 4.5-4.9 and 6.1 eV, respectively. We calculated the in-plane lattice mismatch between the (-201) plane of β-Ga2O3 and the (0002) plane of AlN, which was found to be 2.4%. This is the smallest mismatch between β-Ga2O3 and binary III-nitrides which is beneficial for the formation of a high quality β-Ga2O3/AlN heterojunction. However, the valence and conduction band offsets (VBO and CBO) at the β-Ga2O3/AlN heterojunction have not yet been identified. In this study, a very thin (less than 2 nm) β-Ga2O3 layer was deposited on an AlN/sapphire template to form the heterojunction by pulsed laser deposition. High-resolution X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy revealed the core-level (CL) binding energies of Ga 3d and Al 2p with respect to the valence band maximum in individual β-Ga2O3 and AlN layers, respectively. The separation between Ga 3d and Al 2p CLs at the β-Ga2O3/AlN interface was also measured. Eventually, the VBO was found to be -0.55 ± 0.05 eV. Consequently, a staggered-gap (type II) heterojunction with a CBO of -1.75 ± 0.05 eV was determined. The identification of the band alignment of the β-Ga2O3/AlN heterojunction could facilitate the design of optical and electronic devices based on these and related alloys.

Structural properties and glass transition in Aln clusters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sun, D. Y.; Gong, X. G.

1998-02-01

We have studied the structural and dynamical properties of several Aln clusters by the molecular-dynamics method combined with simulated annealing. The well-fitted glue potential is used to describe the interatomic interaction. The obtained atomic structures for n=13, 55, and 147 are in agreement with results from ab initio calculations. Our results have demonstrated that the disordered cluster Al43 can be considered as a glass cluster. The obtained thermal properties of glass cluster Al43 are clearly different from the results for high-symmetry clusters, its melting behavior has properties similar to those of a glass solid. The present studies also show that the surface melting behavior does not exist in the studied Aln clusters.

Growth condition optimization and mobility enhancement through prolonging the GaN nuclei coalescence process of AlGaN/AlN/GaN structure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

He, Xiao-Guang; Zhao, De-Gang; Jiang, De-Sheng; Zhu, Jian-Jun; Chen, Ping; Liu, Zong-Shun; Le, Ling-Cong; Yang, Jing; Li, Xiao-Jing; Zhang, Shu-Ming; Yang, Hui

2015-09-01

AlGaN/AlN/GaN structures are grown by metalorganic vapor phase epitaxy on sapphire substrates. Influences of AlN interlayer thickness, AlGaN barrier thickness, and Al composition on the two-dimensional electron gas (2DEG) performance are investigated. Lowering the V/III ratio and enhancing the reactor pressure at the initial stage of the high-temperature GaN layer growth will prolong the GaN nuclei coalescence process and effectively improve the crystalline quality and the interface morphology, diminishing the interface roughness scattering and improving 2DEG mobility. AlGaN/AlN/GaN structure with 2DEG sheet density of 1.19 × 1013 cm-2, electron mobility of 2101 cm2·V-1·s-1, and square resistance of 249 Ω is obtained. Project support by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 61474110, 61377020, 61376089, 61223005, and 61176126), the National Science Fund for Distinguished Young Scholars, China (Grant No. 60925017), the One Hundred Person Project of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, and the Basic Research Project of Jiangsu Province, China (Grant No. BK20130362).

Stress evolution of GaN/AlN heterostructure grown on 6H-SiC substrate by plasma assisted molecular beam epitaxy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Agrawal, M.; Ravikiran, L.; Dharmarasu, N.; Radhakrishnan, K.; Karthikeyan, G. S.; Zheng, Y.

2017-01-01

The stress evolution of GaN/AlN heterostructure grown on 6H-SiC substrate by plasma assisted molecular beam epitaxy (PA-MBE) has been studied. AlN nucleation layer and GaN layer were grown as a function of III/V ratio. GaN/AlN structure is found to form buried cracks when AlN is grown in the intermediate growth regime(III/V˜1)and GaN is grown under N-rich growth regime (III/V<1). The III/V ratio determines the growth mode of the layers that influences the lattice mismatch at the GaN/AlN interface. The lattice mismatch induced interfacial stress at the GaN/AlN interface relaxes by the formation of buried cracks in the structure. Additionally, the stress also relaxes by misorienting the AlN resulting in two misorientations with different tilts. Crack-free layers were obtained when AlN and GaN were grown in the N-rich growth regime (III/V<1) and metal rich growth regime (III/V≥1), respectively. AlGaN/GaN high electron mobility transistor (HEMT) heterostructure was demonstrated on 2-inch SiC that showed good two dimensional electron gas (2DEG) properties with a sheet resistance of 480 Ω/sq, mobility of 1280 cm2/V.s and sheet carrier density of 1×1013 cm-2.

Enhancement in c-Si solar cells using 16 nm InN nanoparticles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Imtiaz Chowdhury, Farsad; Alnuaimi, Aaesha; Alkis, Sabri; Ortaç, Bülend; Aktürk, Selçuk; Alevli, Mustafa; Dietz, Nikolaus; Kemal Okyay, Ali; Nayfeh, Ammar

2016-05-01

In this work, 16 nm indium nitride (InN) nanoparticles (NPs) are used to increase the performance of thin-film c-Si HIT solar cells. InN NPs were spin-coated on top of an ITO layer of c-Si HIT solar cells. The c-Si HIT cell is a stack of 2 μm p type c-Si, 4-5 nm n type a-Si, 15 nm n+ type a-Si and 80 nm ITO grown on a p+ type Si substrate. On average, short circuit current density (Jsc) increases from 19.64 mA cm-2 to 21.54 mA cm-2 with a relative improvement of 9.67% and efficiency increases from 6.09% to 7.09% with a relative improvement of 16.42% due to the presence of InN NPs. Reflectance and internal/external quantum efficiency (IQE/EQE) of the devices were also measured. Peak EQE was found to increase from 74.1% to 81.3% and peak IQE increased from 93% to 98.6% for InN NPs coated c-Si HIT cells. Lower reflection of light due to light scattering is responsible for performance enhancement between 400-620 nm while downshifted photons are responsible for performance enhancement from 620 nm onwards.

Colloids in the River Inn

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ueckert, Martina; Niessner, Reinhard; Baumann, Thomas

2015-04-01

In the light of an increasing number of technical applications using nanoparticles and reports of adverse effects of engineered nanoparticles, research on the occurrence and stability of particles in all compartments has to be intensified. Colloids in river water represent the geologic setting, environmental conditions, and the anthropogenic use in its catchment. The river not only acts as a sink for nanoparticles but also as the source term due to exchange in the hyporheic zone and in bank filtration setups. The concentration, size distribution and elemental composition of particles in the River Inn were studied from the source in the Swiss Alps to the river mouth at Passau from 2008 to 2014. Samples were collected after each tributary from a sub-catchment and filtered on site using a new filtration device for gentle filtration. The elemental composition was determined after acid digestion with ICP/MS. SEM/EDX analysis provided morphological and elemental information for single particles. A complementary chemical analysis of the river water was performed to assess the geochemical stability of individual particles. As presented at EGU 2014, particles in the upper, rural parts mainly reveal changes in the geological setting of the tributary catchments. Not unexpectedly, particles originating from crystalline rocks, were more stable than particles originating from calcareous rocks. Anthropogenic and industrial influences increase in the lower parts. This went together with a change of the size distribution, an increase of the number of organic particles, and a decrease of the microfauna. Interestingly, specific leisure activities in a sub-catchment, like extensive downhill skiing, manifest itself in the particle composition. This general setting was validated in last year's sampling campaigns. An interesting change in on site parameters and hydrochemical composition was seen during all sampling campaigns at an inflow from the valley Kaunertal, Austria. Therefore

Atomic force microscopy studies of homoepitaxial GaN layers grown on GaN template by laser MBE

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Choudhary, B. S.; Rajasthan Technical University, Rawatbhata Road, Kota 324010; Singh, A.

We have grown homoepitaxial GaN films on metal organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) grown 3.5 µm thick GaN on sapphire (0001) substrate (GaN template) using an ultra-high vacuum (UHV) laser assisted molecular beam epitaxy (LMBE) system. The GaN films were grown by laser ablating a polycrystalline solid GaN target in the presence of active r.f. nitrogen plasma. The influence of laser repetition rates (10-30 Hz) on the surface morphology of homoepitaxial GaN layers have been studied using atomic force microscopy. It was found that GaN layer grown at 10 Hz shows a smooth surface with uniform grain size compared to the rough surfacemore » with irregular shape grains obtained at 30 Hz. The variation of surface roughness of the homoepitaxial GaN layer with and without wet chemical etching has been also studied and it was observed that the roughness of the film decreased after wet etching due to the curved structure/rough surface.« less

Large area InN terahertz emitters based on the lateral photo-Dember effect

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wallauer, Jan, E-mail: jan.wallauer@fmf.uni-freiburg.de; Grumber, Christian; Walther, Markus

2015-09-14

Large area terahertz emitters based on the lateral photo-Dember effect in InN (indium nitride) are presented. The formation of lateral photo-Dember currents is induced by laser-illumination through a microstructured metal cover processed onto the InN substrate, causing an asymmetry in the lateral photogenerated charge carrier distribution. Our design uses simple metal structures, which are produced by conventional two-dimensional micro-structuring techniques. Having favoring properties as a photo-Dember material InN is particularly well-suited as a substrate for our emitters. We demonstrate that the emission intensity of the emitters can be significantly influenced by the structure of the metal cover leaving room formore » improvement by optimizing the masking structures.« less

Growth of high-quality AlN epitaxial film by optimizing the Si substrate surface

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huang, Liegen; Li, Yuan; Wang, Wenliang; Li, Xiaochan; zheng, Yulin; Wang, Haiyan; Zhang, Zichen; Li, Guoqiang

2018-03-01

High-quality AlN epitaxial films have been grown on Si substrates by optimizing the hydrofluoric acid (HF) solution for cleaning of Si substrates. Effect of the Si substrate surface on the surface morphology and structural property of AlN epitaxial films is investigated in detail. It is revealed that as the concentration of HF solution increases from 0 to 2.0%, the surface morphology and the crystalline quality are initially improved and then get worse, and show an optimized value at 1.5%. The as-grown ∼200 nm-thick AlN epitaxial films on Si substrates grown with HF solution of 1.5% reveal the root-mean-square (RMS) surface roughness of 0.49 nm and the full-width at half-maximum for AlN(0002) X-ray rocking curve of 0.35°, indicating the smooth surface morphology and the high crystalline quality. The corresponding mechanism is proposed to interpret the effect of Si substrate surface on surface morphology and structural property of AlN epitaxial films, and provides an effective approach for the perspective fabrication of AlN-based devices.

Growth of gallium nitride and indium nitride nanowires on conductive and flexible carbon cloth substrates.

PubMed

Yang, Yi; Ling, Yichuan; Wang, Gongming; Lu, Xihong; Tong, Yexiang; Li, Yat

2013-03-07

We report a general strategy for synthesis of gallium nitride (GaN) and indium nitride (InN) nanowires on conductive and flexible carbon cloth substrates. GaN and InN nanowires were prepared via a nanocluster-mediated growth method using a home built chemical vapor deposition (CVD) system with Ga and In metals as group III precursors and ammonia as a group V precursor. Electron microscopy studies reveal that the group III-nitride nanowires are single crystalline wurtzite structures. The morphology, density and growth mechanism of these nanowires are determined by the growth temperature. Importantly, a photoelectrode fabricated by contacting the GaN nanowires through a carbon cloth substrate shows pronounced photoactivity for photoelectrochemical water oxidation. The ability to synthesize group III-nitride nanowires on conductive and flexible substrates should open up new opportunities for nanoscale photonic, electronic and electrochemical devices.

DFT study on the adsorption behavior and electronic response of AlN nanotube and nanocage toward toxic halothane gas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mohammadi, R.; Hosseinian, A.; Khosroshahi, E. Saedi; Edjlali, L.; Vessally, E.

2018-04-01

We have investigated the adsorption of a halothane molecule on the AlN nanotube, and nanocage using density functional theory calculations. We predicted that the halothane molecule tends to be physically adsorbed on the surface of AlN nanotube with adsorption energy (Ead) of -4.2 kcal/mol. The electronic properties of AlN nanotube are not affected by the halothane, and it is not a sensor. But the AlN nanocage is more reactive than the AlN nanotube because of its higher curvature. The halothane tends to be adsorbed on a hexagonal ring, an Alsbnd N bond, and a tetragonal ring of the AlN nanocage. The adsorption ability order is as follows: tetragonal ring (Ead = -14.7 kcal/mol) > Alsbnd N bond (Ead = -12.3 kcal/mol) > hexagonal ring (Ead = -10.1 kcal/mol). When a halothane molecule is adsorbed on the AlN nanocage, its electrical conductivity is increased, demonstrating that it can yield an electronic signal at the presence of this molecule, and can be employed in chemical sensors. The AlN nanocage benefits from a short recovery time of about 58 ms at room temperature.

Electronic transport with dielectric confinement in degenerate InN nanowires.

PubMed

Blömers, Ch; Lu, J G; Huang, L; Witte, C; Grützmacher, D; Lüth, H; Schäpers, Th

2012-06-13

In this Letter, we present the size effects on charge conduction in InN nanowires by comprehensive transport studies supported by theoretical analysis. A consistent model for highly degenerate narrow gap semiconductor nanowires is developed. In contrast to common knowledge of InN, there is no evidence of an enhanced surface conduction, however, high intrinsic doping exists. Furthermore, the room-temperature resistivity exhibits a strong increase when the lateral size becomes smaller than 80 nm and the temperature dependence changes from metallic to semiconductor-like. This effect is modeled by donor deactivation due to dielectric confinement, yielding a shift of the donor band to higher ionization energies as the size shrinks.

C-axis orientated AlN films deposited using deep oscillation magnetron sputtering

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lin, Jianliang; Chistyakov, Roman

2017-02-01

Highly <0001> c-axis orientated aluminum nitride (AlN) films were deposited on silicon (100) substrates by reactive deep oscillation magnetron sputtering (DOMS). No epitaxial favored bond layer and substrate heating were applied for assisting texture growth. The effects of the peak target current density (varied from 0.39 to 0.8 Acm-2) and film thickness (varied from 0.25 to 3.3 μm) on the c-axis orientation, microstructure, residual stress and mechanical properties of the AlN films were investigated by means of X-ray diffraction rocking curve methodology, transmission electron microscopy, optical profilometry, and nanoindentation. All AlN films exhibited a <0001> preferred orientation and compressive residual stresses. At similar film thicknesses, an increase in the peak target current density to 0.53 Acm-2 improved the <0001> orientation. Further increasing the peak target current density to above 0.53 Acm-2 showed limited contribution to the texture development. The study also showed that an increase in the thickness of the AlN films deposited by DOMS improved the c-axis alignment accompanied with a reduction in the residual stress.

Influence of MBE growth modes and conditions on spontaneous formation of metallic In nanoparticles and electrical properties of InN matrix

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Komissarova, T. A.; Wang, P.; Paturi, P.; Wang, X.; Ivanov, S. V.

2017-11-01

Influence of the molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) growth conditions on the electrical properties of the InN epilayers in terms of minimization of the effect of spontaneously formed In nanoparticles was studied. A three-step growth sequence was used, including direct MBE growth of an InN nucleation layer, migration enhanced epitaxy (MEE) of an InN buffer layer, and In-rich MBE growth of the main InN layer, utilizing the droplet elimination by radical-beam irradiation (DERI) technique. The three-step growth regime was found to lead to decreasing the relative amount of In nanoparticles to 4.8% and 3.8% in In-rich and near-stoichiometric conditions, respectively, whereas the transport properties are better for the In-rich growth. Further reduction of the metallic indium inclusions in the InN films, while keeping simultaneously satisfactory transport parameters, is hardly possible due to fundamental processes of InN thermal decomposition and formation of the nitrogen vacancy conglomerates in the InN matrix. The In inclusions are shown to dominate the electrical conductivity of the InN films even at their minimum amount.

Observation of stimulated emission from a single Fe-doped AlN triangular fiber at room temperature

PubMed Central

Jiang, Liangbao; Jin, Shifeng; Wang, Wenjun; Zuo, Sibin; Li, Zhilin; Wang, Shunchong; Zhu, Kaixing; Wei, Zhiyi; Chen, Xiaolong

2015-01-01

Aluminum nitride (AlN) is a well known wide-band gap semiconductor that has been widely used in fabricating various ultraviolet photo-electronic devices. Herein, we demonstrate that a fiber laser can be achieved in Fe-doped AlN fiber where Fe is the active ion and AlN fiber is used as the gain medium. Fe-doped single crystal AlN fibers with a diameter of 20–50 μm and a length of 0.5–1 mm were preparated successfully. Stimulated emission (peak at about 607 nm and FWHM ~0.2 nm) and a long luminescence lifetime (2.5 ms) were observed in the fibers by a 532nm laser excitation at room temperature. The high quality long AlN fibers are also found to be good optical waveguides. This kind of fiber lasers may possess potential advantages over traditional fiber lasers in enhancing power output and extending laser wavelengths from infrared to visible regime. PMID:26647969

Nucleation mechanisms of epitaxial GaN nanowires: Origin of their self-induced formation and initial radius

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Consonni, V.; Knelangen, M.; Geelhaar, L.; Trampert, A.; Riechert, H.

2010-02-01

The formation mechanisms of epitaxial GaN nanowires grown within a self-induced approach by molecular-beam epitaxy have been investigated at the onset of the nucleation process by combining in situ reflection high-energy electron-diffraction measurements and ex situ high-resolution transmission electron microscopy imaging. It is shown that the self-induced growth of GaN nanowires on the AlN buffer layer is initially governed by the nucleation of dislocation-free coherent islands. These coherent islands develop through a series of shape transitions from spherical caps through truncated to full pyramids in order to elastically relieve the lattice-mismatch-induced strain. A strong correlation between the subsequent process of plastic relaxation and the final shape transition from full pyramids toward the very first nanowires is found. The experimental critical radius at which the misfit dislocation nucleates is in very good agreement with the theoretical critical radius for the formation of the misfit dislocation in full pyramids, showing that the plastic relaxation process does take place within full pyramids: this critical size corresponds to the initial radius of the very first nanowires. We associate the plastic relaxation of the lattice-mismatch-induced strain occurring within full pyramids with a drastic change in their total free energy: this gives rise to a driving force for the shape transition toward the very first nanowires, which is mainly due to the anisotropy of surface energy.

InN thin-film transistors fabricated on polymer sheets using pulsed sputtering deposition at room temperature

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lye, Khe Shin; Kobayashi, Atsushi; Ueno, Kohei

Indium nitride (InN) is potentially suitable for the fabrication of high performance thin-film transistors (TFTs) because of its high electron mobility and peak electron velocity. However, InN is usually grown using a high temperature growth process, which is incompatible with large-area and lightweight TFT substrates. In this study, we report on the room temperature growth of InN films on flexible polyimide sheets using pulsed sputtering deposition. In addition, we report on the fabrication of InN-based TFTs on flexible polyimide sheets and the operation of these devices.

Infrared blocking, microwave and terahertz low-loss transmission AlN films grown on flexible polymeric substrates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rudenko, E.; Tsybrii, Z.; Sizov, F.; Korotash, I.; Polotskiy, D.; Skoryk, M.; Vuichyk, M.; Svezhentsova, K.

2017-04-01

Aluminum nitride (AlN) film coatings on flexible substrates (polymeric Teflon, Mylar) have been obtained using a hybrid helicon-arc ion-plasma deposition technique with high adhesion of coatings. Studies of optical, morphological, and structural properties of AlN films have been carried out. It was found that AlN coatings on Teflon and Mylar thin-film substrates substantially suppress transmission of infrared (IR) radiation within the spectral range λ ˜ 5-20 μm at certain technological parameters and thickness of AlN. Transmission in THz regions by using quasioptics attains T ≈ 79%-95%, and losses measured in the channels within the microwave region 2 to 36 GHz are <0.06 dB. The obtained composite structures (AlN coatings on Teflon and Mylar thin-film substrates), due to a high thermal conductivity of AlN, could be used as efficient blocking structures in the infrared spectral range ("infrared stealth") withdrawing the heat from filters warmed by IR radiation. At the same time, they can be used as the transparent ones in the microwave and THz regions, which can be important for low-temperature detector components of navigation, positioning, and telecommunication systems due to reducing the background noise.

Competitive growth mechanisms of AlN on Si (111) by MOVPE.

PubMed

Feng, Yuxia; Wei, Hongyuan; Yang, Shaoyan; Chen, Zhen; Wang, Lianshan; Kong, Susu; Zhao, Guijuan; Liu, Xianglin

2014-09-18

To improve the growth rate and crystal quality of AlN, the competitive growth mechanisms of AlN under different parameters were studied. The mass transport limited mechanism was competed with the gas-phase parasitic reaction and became dominated at low reactor pressure. The mechanism of strain relaxation at the AlN/Si interface was studied by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Improved deposition rate in the mass-transport-limit region and increased adatom mobility were realized under extremely low reactor pressure.

Crystallinity, Surface Morphology, and Photoelectrochemical Effects in Conical InP and InN Nanowires Grown on Silicon.

PubMed

Parameshwaran, Vijay; Xu, Xiaoqing; Clemens, Bruce

2016-08-24

The growth conditions of two types of indium-based III-V nanowires, InP and InN, are tailored such that instead of yielding conventional wire-type morphologies, single-crystal conical structures are formed with an enlarged diameter either near the base or near the tip. By using indium droplets as a growth catalyst, combined with an excess indium supply during growth, "ice cream cone" type structures are formed with a nanowire "cone" and an indium-based "ice cream" droplet on top for both InP and InN. Surface polycrystallinity and annihilation of the catalyst tip of the conical InP nanowires are observed when the indium supply is turned off during the growth process. This growth design technique is extended to create single-crystal InN nanowires with the same morphology. Conical InN nanowires with an enlarged base are obtained through the use of an excess combined Au-In growth catalyst. Electrochemical studies of the InP nanowires on silicon demonstrate a reduction photocurrent as a proof of photovolatic behavior and provide insight as to how the observed surface polycrystallinity and the resulting interface affect these device-level properties. Additionally, a photovoltage is induced in both types of conical InN nanowires on silicon, which is not replicated in epitaxial InN thin films.

Anomalous surface potential behavior observed in InN by photoassisted Kelvin probe force microscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sun, Xiaoxiao; Wei, Jiandong; Wang, Xinqiang; Wang, Ping; Li, Shunfeng; Waag, Andreas; Li, Mo; Zhang, Jian; Ge, Weikun; Shen, Bo

2017-05-01

Lattice-polarity dependence of InN surface photovoltage has been identified by an anomalous surface potential behavior observed via photoassisted Kelvin probe force microscopy. Upon above bandgap light illumination in the ambient atmosphere, the surface photovoltage of the In-polar InN shows a pronounced decrease, while that of the N-polar one keeps almost constant. Those different behaviors between N-polar and In-polar surfaces are attributed to a polarity-related surface reactivity, which is found not to be influenced by Mg-doping. These findings provide a simple and non-destructive approach to determine the lattice polarity and allow us to suggest that the In-polar InN, especially that with buried p-type conduction, should be chosen for sensing application.

P-type doping of GaN

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wong, Raechelle Kimberly

2000-04-01

After implantation of As, As + Be, and As + Ga into GaN and annealing for short durations at temperatures as high as 1500 C, the GaN films remained highly resistive. It was apparent from c-RBS studies that although implantation damage did not create an amorphous layer in the GaN film, annealing at 1500 C did not provide enough energy to completely recover the radiation damage. Disorder recovered significantly after annealing at temperatures up to 1500 C, but not completely. From SIMS analysis, oxygen contamination in the AIN capping layer causes oxygen diffusion into the GaN film above 1400 C.more » The sapphire substrate (A1203) also decomposed and oxygen penetrated into the backside of the GaN layer above 1400 C. To prevent donor-like oxygen impurities from the capping layer and the substrate from contaminating the GaN film and compensating acceptors, post-implantation annealing should be done at temperatures below 1500 C. Oxygen in the cap could be reduced by growing the AIN cap on the GaN layer after the GaN growth run or by depositing the AIN layer in a ultra high vacuum (UHV) system post-growth to minimize residual oxygen and water contamination. With longer annealing times at 1400 C or at higher temperatures with a higher quality AIN, the implantation drainage may fully recover.« less

A first-principles study of the properties of four predicted novel phases of AlN

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Ruike; Zhu, Chuanshuai; Wei, Qun; Du, Zheng

2017-05-01

Structural, elastic, thermodynamic, electronic and optical properties of four predicted novel AlN phases (Pmn21-AlN, Pbam-AlN, Pbca-AlN and Cmcm-AlN) are calculated using first-principles according to density function theory (DFT). These phases were found using the CALYPSO method but have not yet been synthesized experimentally. Here we predict some of their properties. The properties are analyzed by means of GGA-PBE and PBE0 respectively. The more precision results are obtained by PBE0. Cmcm-AlN owns better plasticity and it's Young's modulus has clearer anisotropy than Pmn21-AlN, Pbam-AlN and Pbca-AlN. The Debye temperature, under higher temperature, shows weak temperature dependence and approach to a constant value. The Dulong-Petit limit of all four novel AlN phases and wz-AlN is about 48 J mol-1 K-1 and they have almost the same temperature law. The band structures show that the four AlN are the wide direct band gap semiconductors, which band gaps are 5.95 (Pmn21-AlN), 5.99 (Pbam-AlN), 5.88 (Pbca-AlN) and 5.59 eV (Cmcm-AlN). The bonding behaviors are the combination of covalent and ionic nature. The dielectric constants, refractive index, reflectivity, absorption, loss spectra, conductivity and Raman spectra are also calculated in detail. All four phases have a lower plasma frequency than of wz-AlN.

A computational study on the electronic and field emission properties of Mg and Si doped AlN nanocones

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Saedi, Leila; Soleymanabadi, Hamed; Panahyab, Ataollah

2018-05-01

Following an experimental work, we explored the effect of replacing an Al atom of an AlN nanocone by Si or Mg atom on its electronic and field emission properties using density functional theory calculations. We found that both Si-doping and Mg-doping increase the electrical conductivity of AlN nanocone, but their influences on the filed emission properties are significantly different. The Si-doping increases the electron concentration of AlN nanocone and results in a large electron mobility and a low work function, whereas Mg-doping leads to a high hole concentration below the conduction level and increases the work function in agreement with the experimental results. It is predicted that Si-doped AlN nanocones show excellent filed emission performance with higher emitted electron current density compared to the pristine AlN nanocone. But the Mg-doping meaningfully decreases the emitted electron current density from the surface of AlN nanocone. The Mg-doping can increase the work function about 41.9% and the Si-doping can decrease it about 6.3%. The Mg-doping and Si-doping convert the AlN nanocone to a p-type and n-type semiconductors, respectively. Our results explain in a molecular level what observed in the experiment.

Roma Gans: Still Writing at 95.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sullivan, Joanna

1991-01-01

Recounts discussions with reading educator Roma Gans over a 25-year period. Presents Gans' views about reading, teachers, her family, and her years at Teachers College, Columbia. Notes that Gans has seen the teaching of reading come full circle since her first teaching assignment in 1919. (RS)

Ab initio molecular dynamics simulations of AlN responding to low energy particle radiation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xi, Jianqi; Liu, Bin; Zhang, Yanwen; Weber, William J.

2018-01-01

Ab initio molecular dynamics simulations of low energy recoil events in wurtzite AlN have been performed to determine threshold displacement energies, defect production and evolution mechanisms, role of partial charge transfer during the process, and the influence of irradiation-induced defects on the properties of AlN. The results show that the threshold displacement energies, Ed, along the direction parallel to the basal planes are smaller than those perpendicular to the basal planes. The minimum Ed values are determined to be 19 eV and 55 eV for N and Al atom, respectively, which occur along the [ 1 ¯ 1 ¯ 20 ] direction. In general, the threshold displacement energies for N are smaller than those for Al atom, indicating the N defects would be dominant under irradiation. The defect production mechanisms have been analyzed. It is found that charge transfer and redistribution for both the primary knock-on atom and the subsequent recoil atoms play a significant role in defect production and evolution. Similar to the trend in oxide materials, there is a nearly linear relationship between Ed and the total amount of charge transfer at the potential energy peak in AlN, which provides guidance on the development of charge-transfer interatomic potentials for classic molecular dynamics simulations. Finally, the response behavior of AlN to low energy irradiation is qualitatively investigated. The existence of irradiation-induced defects significantly modifies the electronic structure, and thus affects the magnetic, electronic and optical properties of AlN. These findings further enrich the understanding of defects in the wide bandgap semiconductor of AlN.

Observation of surface plasmon polaritons in 2D electron gas of surface electron accumulation in InN nanostructures.

PubMed

Madapu, Kishore K; Sivadasan, A K; Baral, Madhusmita; Dhara, Sandip

2018-07-06

Recently, heavily doped semiconductors have been emerging as an alternative to low-loss plasmonic materials. InN, belonging to the group III nitrides, possesses the unique property of surface electron accumulation (SEA), which provides a 2D electron gas (2DEG) system. In this report, we demonstrated the surface plasmon properties of InN nanoparticles originating from SEA using the real-space mapping of the surface plasmon fields for the first time. The SEA is confirmed by Raman studies, which are further corroborated by photoluminescence and photoemission spectroscopic studies. The frequency of 2DEG corresponding to SEA is found to be in the THz region. The periodic fringes are observed in the near-field scanning optical microscopic images of InN nanostructures. The observed fringes are attributed to the interference of propagated and back-reflected surface plasmon polaritons (SPPs). The observation of SPPs is solely attributed to the 2DEG corresponding to the SEA of InN. In addition, a resonance kind of behavior with the enhancement of the near-field intensity is observed in the near-field images of InN nanostructures. Observation of SPPs indicates that InN with SEA can be a promising THz plasmonic material for light confinement.

Observation of surface plasmon polaritons in 2D electron gas of surface electron accumulation in InN nanostructures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Madapu, Kishore K.; Sivadasan, A. K.; Baral, Madhusmita; Dhara, Sandip

2018-07-01

Recently, heavily doped semiconductors have been emerging as an alternative to low-loss plasmonic materials. InN, belonging to the group III nitrides, possesses the unique property of surface electron accumulation (SEA), which provides a 2D electron gas (2DEG) system. In this report, we demonstrated the surface plasmon properties of InN nanoparticles originating from SEA using the real-space mapping of the surface plasmon fields for the first time. The SEA is confirmed by Raman studies, which are further corroborated by photoluminescence and photoemission spectroscopic studies. The frequency of 2DEG corresponding to SEA is found to be in the THz region. The periodic fringes are observed in the near-field scanning optical microscopic images of InN nanostructures. The observed fringes are attributed to the interference of propagated and back-reflected surface plasmon polaritons (SPPs). The observation of SPPs is solely attributed to the 2DEG corresponding to the SEA of InN. In addition, a resonance kind of behavior with the enhancement of the near-field intensity is observed in the near-field images of InN nanostructures. Observation of SPPs indicates that InN with SEA can be a promising THz plasmonic material for light confinement.

The SpaceInn SISMA archive

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rainer, Monica; Poretti, Ennio; Mistò, Angelo; Rosa Panzera, Maria

2017-10-01

The Spectroscopic Indicators in a SeisMic Archive (SISMA) has been built in the framework of the FP7 SpaceInn project to contain the 7013 HARPS spectra observed during the CoRoT asteroseismic groundbased program, along with their variability and asteroseismic indicators. The spectra pertain to 261 stars spread around the whole Herztsprung-Russell diagram: 72 of them were CoRoT targets while the others were observed in order to better characterize their variability classes. The Legacy Data lightcurves of the CoRoT targets are also stored in the archive.

A DFT study on NEA GaN photocathode with an ultrathin n-type Si-doped GaN cap layer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xia, Sihao; Liu, Lei; Kong, Yike; Diao, Yu

2016-10-01

Due to the drawbacks of conventional negative electron affinity (NEA) GaN photocathodes activated by Cs or Cs/O, a new-type NEA GaN photocathodes with heterojunction surface dispense with Cs activation are proposed. This structure can be obtained through the coverage of an ultrathin n-type Si-doped GaN cap layer on the p-type Mg-doped GaN emission layer. The influences of the cap layer on the photocathode are calculated using DFT. This study indicates that the n-type cap layer can promote the photoemission characteristics of GaN photocathode and demonstrates the probability of the preparation of a NEA GaN photocathode with an n-type cap layer.

Spectral features and voltage effects in high-field electroluminescence of AlN filamentary nanocrystals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Weinstein, I. A.; Vokhmintsev, A. S.; Chaikin, D. V.; Afonin, Yu. D.

2016-11-01

The high-field electroluminescence (EL) spectra for Al-rich AlN nanowhiskers varying applied voltage were studied. The observed 2.70 eV emission, which can be considered as superposition of two Gaussian bands in 2.75 and 2.53 eV, was analyzed. It was shown that Fowler-Nordheim effect took place in EL mechanism with participation of capturing levels of ON- and VN-centers when AlN nanowhiskers were exposed to an external field of 2.5 ÷ 10 V/μm. Obtained results and made conclusions are in a good agreement with independent electron field emission measurements for different one-dimensional AlN nanostructures.

Plasma-assisted Molecular Beam Epitaxy of N-polar InAlN-barrier High-electron-mobility Transistors.

PubMed

Hardy, Matthew T; Storm, David F; Katzer, D Scott; Downey, Brian P; Nepal, Neeraj; Meyer, David J

2016-11-24

Plasma-assisted molecular beam epitaxy is well suited for the epitaxial growth of III-nitride thin films and heterostructures with smooth, abrupt interfaces required for high-quality high-electron-mobility transistors (HEMTs). A procedure is presented for the growth of N-polar InAlN HEMTs, including wafer preparation and growth of buffer layers, the InAlN barrier layer, AlN and GaN interlayers and the GaN channel. Critical issues at each step of the process are identified, such as avoiding Ga accumulation in the GaN buffer, the role of temperature on InAlN compositional homogeneity, and the use of Ga flux during the AlN interlayer and the interrupt prior to GaN channel growth. Compositionally homogeneous N-polar InAlN thin films are demonstrated with surface root-mean-squared roughness as low as 0.19 nm and InAlN-based HEMT structures are reported having mobility as high as 1,750 cm 2 /V∙sec for devices with a sheet charge density of 1.7 x 10 13 cm -2 .

Engineering of InN epilayers by repeated deposition of ultrathin layers in pulsed MOCVD growth

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mickevičius, J.; Dobrovolskas, D.; Steponavičius, T.; Malinauskas, T.; Kolenda, M.; Kadys, A.; Tamulaitis, G.

2018-01-01

Capabilities of repeated deposition of ultrathin layers by pulsed metalorganic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) for improvement of structural and luminescence properties of InN thin films on GaN/sapphire templates were studied by varying the growth temperature and the durations of pulse and pause in the delivery of In precursor. X-ray diffraction, atomic force microscopy, and spatially-resolved photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy were exploited to characterize the structural quality, surface morphology and luminescence properties. Better structural quality is achieved by using longer trimethylindium pulses. However, it is shown that the luminescence properties of InN epilayers correlate with the pause and pulse ratio rather than with their absolute lengths, and the deposition of 1.5-2 monolayers of InN during one growth cycle is optimal to achieve the highest PL intensity. Moreover, the use of temperature ramping enabled achieving the highest PL intensity and the smallest blue shift of the PL band. The luminescence parameters are linked with the structural properties, and domain-like patterns of InN layers are revealed.

Effect of interfacial lattice mismatch on bulk carrier concentration and band gap of InN

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kuyyalil, Jithesh; Tangi, Malleswararao; Shivaprasad, S. M.

The issue of ambiguous values of the band gap (0.6 to 2 eV) of InN thin film in literature has been addressed by a careful experiment. We have grown wurtzite InN films by PA-MBE simultaneously on differently modified c-plane sapphire substrates and characterized by complementary structural and chemical probes. Our studies discount Mie resonances caused by metallic In segregation at grain boundaries as the reason for low band gap values ( Almost-Equal-To 0.6 eV) and also the formation of Indium oxides and oxynitrides as the cause for high band gap value ( Almost-Equal-To 2.0 eV). It is observed that polycrystallinitymore » arising from azimuthal miss-orientation of c-oriented wurtzite InN crystals increases the carrier concentration and the band gap values. We have reviewed the band gap, carrier concentration, and effective mass of InN in literature and our own measurements, which show that the Moss-Burstein relation with a non-parabolic conduction band accounts for the observed variation of band gap with carrier concentration.« less

Group III nitride semiconductors for short wavelength light-emitting devices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Orton, J. W.; Foxon, C. T.

1998-01-01

The group III nitrides (AlN, GaN and InN) represent an important trio of semiconductors because of their direct band gaps which span the range 1.95-6.2 eV, including the whole of the visible region and extending well out into the ultraviolet (UV) range. They form a complete series of ternary alloys which, in principle, makes available any band gap within this range and the fact that they also generate efficient luminescence has been the main driving force for their recent technological development. High brightness visible light-emitting diodes (LEDs) are now commercially available, a development which has transformed the market for LED-based full colour displays and which has opened the way to many other applications, such as in traffic lights and efficient low voltage, flat panel white light sources. Continuously operating UV laser diodes have also been demonstrated in the laboratory, exciting tremendous interest for high-density optical storage systems, UV lithography and projection displays. In a remarkably short space of time, the nitrides have therefore caught up with and, in some ways, surpassed the wide band gap II-VI compounds (ZnCdSSe) as materials for short wavelength optoelectronic devices. The purpose of this paper is to review these developments and to provide essential background material in the form of the structural, electronic and optical properties of the nitrides, relevant to these applications. We have been guided by the fact that the devices so far available are based on the binary compound GaN (which is relatively well developed at the present time), together with the ternary alloys AlGaN and InGaN, containing modest amounts of Al or In. We therefore concentrate, to a considerable extent, on the properties of GaN, then introduce those of the alloys as appropriate, emphasizing their use in the formation of the heterostructures employed in devices. The nitrides crystallize preferentially in the hexagonal wurtzite structure and devices have so

Direct evidence of single quantum dot emission from GaN islands formed at threading dislocations using nanoscale cathodoluminescence: A source of single photons in the ultraviolet

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Schmidt, Gordon, E-mail: Gordon.Schmidt@ovgu.de; Berger, Christoph; Veit, Peter

2015-06-22

Intense emission from GaN islands embedded in AlN resulting from GaN/AlN quantum well growth is directly resolved by performing cathodoluminescence spectroscopy in a scanning transmission electron microscope. Line widths down to 440 μeV are measured in a wavelength region between 220 and 310 nm confirming quantum dot like electronic properties in the islands. These quantum dot states can be structurally correlated to islands of slightly enlarged thicknesses of the GaN/AlN quantum well layer preferentially formed in vicinity to dislocations. The quantum dot states exhibit single photon emission in Hanbury Brown-Twiss experiments with a clear antibunching in the second order correlation function atmore » zero time delay.« less

Micro-Raman investigations of InN-GaN core-shell nanowires on Si (111) substrate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sangeetha, P.; Jeganathan, K.; Ramakrishnan, V.

2013-06-01

The electron-phonon interactions in InN-GaN core-shell nanowires grown by plasma assisted- molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) on Si (111) substrate have been analysed using micro-Raman spectroscopic technique with the excitation wavelength of 633, 488 and 325 nm. The Raman scattering at 633 nm reveals the characteristic E2 (high) and A1 (LO) phonon mode of InN core at 490 and 590 cm-1 respectively and E2 (high) phonon mode of GaN shell at 573 cm-1. The free carrier concentration of InN core is found to be low in the order ˜ 1016 cm-3 due to the screening of charge carriers by thin GaN shell. Diameter of InN core evaluated using the spatial correlation model is consistent with the transmission electron microscopic measurement of ˜15 nm. The phonon-life time of core-shell nanowire structure is estimated to be ˜0.4 ps. The micro-Raman mapping and its corresponding localised spectra for 325 nm excitation exhibit intense E2 (high) phonon mode of GaN shell at 573 cm-1 as the decrease of laser interaction length and the signal intensity is quenched at the voids due to high spacing of NWs.

Towards AlN optical cladding layers for thermal management in hybrid lasers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mathews, Ian; Lei, Shenghui; Nolan, Kevin; Levaufre, Guillaume; Shen, Alexandre; Duan, Guang-Hua; Corbett, Brian; Enright, Ryan

2015-06-01

Aluminium Nitride (AlN) is proposed as a dual function optical cladding and thermal spreading layer for hybrid ridge lasers, replacing current benzocyclobutene (BCB) encapsulation. A high thermal conductivity material placed in intimate contact with the Multi-Quantum Well active region of the laser allows rapid heat removal at source but places a number of constraints on material selection. AlN is considered the most suitable due to its high thermal conductivity when deposited at low deposition temperatures, similar co-efficient of thermal expansion to InP, its suitable refractive index and its dielectric nature. We have previously simulated the possible reduction in the thermal resistance of a hybrid ridge laser by replacing the BCB cladding material with a material of higher thermal conductivity of up to 319 W/mK. Towards this goal, we demonstrate AlN thin-films deposited by reactive DC magnetron sputtering on InP.

Effective electron mass and phonon modes in n-type hexagonal InN

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kasic, A.; Schubert, M.; Saito, Y.; Nanishi, Y.; Wagner, G.

2002-03-01

Infrared spectroscopic ellipsometry and micro-Raman scattering are used to study vibrational and electronic properties of high-quality hexagonal InN. The 0.22-μm-thick highly n-conductive InN film was grown on c-plane sapphire by radio-frequency molecular-beam epitaxy. Combining our results from the ellipsometry data analysis with Hall-effect measurements, the isotropically averaged effective electron mass in InN is determined as 0.14m0. The resonantly excited zone center E1 (TO) phonon mode is observed at 477 cm-1 in the ellipsometry spectra. Despite the high electron concentration in the film, a strong Raman mode occurs in the spectral range of the unscreened A1(LO) phonon. Because an extended carrier-depleted region at the sample surface can be excluded from the ellipsometry-model analysis, we assign this mode to the lower branch of the large-wave-vector LO-phonon-plasmon coupled modes arising from nonconserving wave-vector scattering processes. The spectral position of this mode at 590 cm-1 constitutes a lower limit for the unscreened A1(LO) phonon frequency.

GaN based nanorods for solid state lighting

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Shunfeng; Waag, Andreas

2012-04-01

In recent years, GaN nanorods are emerging as a very promising novel route toward devices for nano-optoelectronics and nano-photonics. In particular, core-shell light emitting devices are thought to be a breakthrough development in solid state lighting, nanorod based LEDs have many potential advantages as compared to their 2 D thin film counterparts. In this paper, we review the recent developments of GaN nanorod growth, characterization, and related device applications based on GaN nanorods. The initial work on GaN nanorod growth focused on catalyst-assisted and catalyst-free statistical growth. The growth condition and growth mechanisms were extensively investigated and discussed. Doping of GaN nanorods, especially p-doping, was found to significantly influence the morphology of GaN nanorods. The large surface of 3 D GaN nanorods induces new optical and electrical properties, which normally can be neglected in layered structures. Recently, more controlled selective area growth of GaN nanorods was realized using patterned substrates both by metalorganic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) and by molecular beam epitaxy (MBE). Advanced structures, for example, photonic crystals and DBRs are meanwhile integrated in GaN nanorod structures. Based on the work of growth and characterization of GaN nanorods, GaN nanoLEDs were reported by several groups with different growth and processing methods. Core/shell nanoLED structures were also demonstrated, which could be potentially useful for future high efficient LED structures. In this paper, we will discuss recent developments in GaN nanorod technology, focusing on the potential advantages, but also discussing problems and open questions, which may impose obstacles during the future development of a GaN nanorod based LED technology.

Luminescence from defects in GaN

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Reshchikov, M. A.; Morkoç, H.

2006-04-01

We briefly review the luminescence properties of defects in GaN and focus on the most interesting defects. In particular, the blue luminescence band peaking at about 3 eV is assigned to different defects and even different types of transitions in undoped, Zn-, C-, and Mg-doped GaN. Another omnipresent luminescence band, the yellow luminescence band may have different origin in nearly dislocation-free freestanding GaN templates, undoped thin layers, and carbon-doped GaN. The Y4 and Y7 lines are caused by recombination at unidentified point defects captured by threading edge dislocations.

Bandgap engineering of GaN nanowires

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ming, Bang-Ming; Yan, Hui; Wang, Ru-Zhi, E-mail: wrz@bjut.edu.cn, E-mail: yamcy@csrc.ac.cn

2016-05-15

Bandgap engineering has been a powerful technique for manipulating the electronic and optical properties of semiconductors. In this work, a systematic investigation of the electronic properties of [0001] GaN nanowires was carried out using the density functional based tight-binding method (DFTB). We studied the effects of geometric structure and uniaxial strain on the electronic properties of GaN nanowires with diameters ranging from 0.8 to 10 nm. Our results show that the band gap of GaN nanowires depends linearly on both the surface to volume ratio (S/V) and tensile strain. The band gap of GaN nanowires increases linearly with S/V, whilemore » it decreases linearly with increasing tensile strain. These linear relationships provide an effect way in designing GaN nanowires for their applications in novel nano-devices.« less

Selective Epitaxial Graphene Growth on SiC via AlN Capping

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zaman, Farhana; Rubio-Roy, Miguel; Moseley, Michael; Lowder, Jonathan; Doolittle, William; Berger, Claire; Dong, Rui; Meindl, James; de Heer, Walt; Georgia Institute of Technology Team

2011-03-01

Electronic-quality graphene is epitaxially grown by graphitization of carbon-face silicon carbide (SiC) by the sublimation of silicon atoms from selected regions uncapped by aluminum nitride (AlN). AlN (deposited by molecular beam epitaxy) withstands high graphitization temperatures of 1420o C, hence acting as an effective capping layer preventing the growth of graphene under it. The AlN is patterned and etched to open up windows onto the SiC surface for subsequent graphitization. Such selective epitaxial growth leads to the formation of high-quality graphene in desired patterns without the need for etching and lithographic patterning of graphene itself. No detrimental contact of the graphene with external chemicals occurs throughout the fabrication-process. The impact of process-conditions on the mobility of graphene is investigated. Graphene hall-bars were fabricated and characterized by scanning Raman spectroscopy, ellipsometry, and transport measurements. This controlled growth of graphene in selected regions represents a viable approach to fabrication of high-mobility graphene as the channel material for fast-switching field-effect transistors.

Electrical properties of polycrystalline GaN films functionalized with cysteine and stabilization of GaN nanoparticles in aqueous media.

PubMed

Arízaga, Gregorio Guadalupe Carbajal; Oviedo, Mariana J; López, Oscar Edel Contreras

2012-10-01

GaN was synthesized onto sapphire substrates by chemical vapor deposition, reacting gallium, ammonium chloride and ammonia. The polycrystalline films were immersed in glycine, aspartic acid and cysteine solutions. Cysteine chemisorbed onto GaN films produced detectable changes in conductivity, mobility and Hall coefficient indicating that GaN is capable of detecting and reacting with thiolate groups, which was confirmed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The Cys-GaN film solution was adjusted to pH 10, upon which the GaN nanoparticles were transferred to the aqueous phase forming a suspension stable for seven days. The alkaline colloid was then further adjusted down to pH 3 retaining stability for three days. The GaN colloid obtained represents a suitable medium to study GaN properties for biological applications. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

High optical quality GaN nanopillar arrays

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Y. D.; Chua, S. J.; Tripathy, S.; Sander, M. S.; Chen, P.; Fonstad, C. G.

2005-02-01

GaN nanopillar arrays have been fabricated by inductively coupled plasma etching of GaN films using anodic aluminum oxide film as an etch mask. The average diameter and length of these pillars are 60-65nm and 350-400nm, respectively. Ultraviolet microphotoluminescence measurements indicate high photoluminescence intensity and stress relaxation in these GaN nanopillars as compared to the starting epitaxial GaN films. Evidence of good crystalline quality is also observed by micro-Raman measurements, wherein a redshift of the E2high mode from GaN nanopillars suggests partial relaxation of the compressive strain. In addition, breakdown of the polarization selection rules led to the appearance of symmetry-forbidden and quasipolar modes.

Role of Inn1 and its interactions with Hof1 and Cyk3 in promoting cleavage furrow and septum formation in S. cerevisiae

PubMed Central

Nishihama, Ryuichi; Schreiter, Jennifer H.; Onishi, Masayuki; Vallen, Elizabeth A.; Hanna, Julia; Moravcevic, Katarina; Lippincott, Margaret F.; Han, Haesun; Lemmon, Mark A.; Pringle, John R.

2009-01-01

Cytokinesis requires coordination of actomyosin ring (AMR) contraction with rearrangements of the plasma membrane and extracellular matrix. In Saccharomyces cerevisiae, new membrane, the chitin synthase Chs2 (which forms the primary septum [PS]), and the protein Inn1 are all delivered to the division site upon mitotic exit even when the AMR is absent. Inn1 is essential for PS formation but not for Chs2 localization. The Inn1 C-terminal region is necessary for localization, and distinct PXXP motifs in this region mediate functionally important interactions with SH3 domains in the cytokinesis proteins Hof1 (an F-BAR protein) and Cyk3 (whose overexpression can restore PS formation in inn1Δ cells). The Inn1 N terminus resembles C2 domains but does not appear to bind phospholipids; nonetheless, when overexpressed or fused to Hof1, it can provide Inn1 function even in the absence of the AMR. Thus, Inn1 and Cyk3 appear to cooperate in activating Chs2 for PS formation, which allows coordination of AMR contraction with ingression of the cleavage furrow. PMID:19528296

R&W Club Frederick Raises $1,500 for The Children’s Inn at Annual Golf Tournament | Poster

Cancer.gov

Forty-four government and contractor employees, along with their friends and family members, took to the Maryland National Golf Club course this fall for a cause. The R&W Club Frederick held its third annual golf tournament at the Middletown, Md., golf course on Sept. 14 to raise funds for The Children’s Inn at NIH, which celebrated its 25th anniversary this year. The Inn provides support and a home away from home for seriously ill children and their families receiving treatment at the NIH Clinical Center. Through the tournament, the club raised approximately $1,500 for The Children’s Inn, according to Tanya Ransom, biologist, NCI Center for Cancer Research, and secretary of the R&W Club Frederick. She also coordinated the golf tournament. After the tournament, a silent auction of sports memorabilia and collectibles, sponsored by Great Moments, Frederick, was held, and a portion of the proceeds also went to the Inn.

Piezotronic Effect in Polarity-Controlled GaN Nanowires.

PubMed

Zhao, Zhenfu; Pu, Xiong; Han, Changbao; Du, Chunhua; Li, Linxuan; Jiang, Chunyan; Hu, Weiguo; Wang, Zhong Lin

2015-08-25

Using high-quality and polarity-controlled GaN nanowires (NWs), we studied the piezotronic effect in crystal orientation defined wurtzite structures. By applying a normal compressive force on c-plane GaN NWs with an atomic force microscopy tip, the Schottky barrier between the Pt tip and GaN can be effectively tuned by the piezotronic effect. In contrast, the normal compressive force cannot change the electron transport characteristics in m-plane GaN NWs whose piezoelectric polarization axis is turned in the transverse direction. This observation provided solid evidence for clarifying the difference between the piezotronic effect and the piezoresistive effect. We further demonstrated a high sensitivity of the m-plane GaN piezotronic transistor to collect the transverse force. The integration of c-plane GaN and m-plane GaN indicates an overall response to an external force in any direction.

GaN Micromechanical Resonators with Meshed Metal Bottom Electrode.

PubMed

Ansari, Azadeh; Liu, Che-Yu; Lin, Chien-Chung; Kuo, Hao-Chung; Ku, Pei-Cheng; Rais-Zadeh, Mina

2015-03-17

This work describes a novel architecture to realize high-performance gallium nitride (GaN) bulk acoustic wave (BAW) resonators. The method is based on the growth of a thick GaN layer on a metal electrode grid. The fabrication process starts with the growth of a thin GaN buffer layer on a Si (111) substrate. The GaN buffer layer is patterned and trenches are made and refilled with sputtered tungsten (W)/silicon dioxide (SiO₂) forming passivated metal electrode grids. GaN is then regrown, nucleating from the exposed GaN seed layer and coalescing to form a thick GaN device layer. A metal electrode can be deposited and patterned on top of the GaN layer. This method enables vertical piezoelectric actuation of the GaN layer using its largest piezoelectric coefficient ( d 33 ) for thickness-mode resonance. Having a bottom electrode also results in a higher coupling coefficient, useful for the implementation of acoustic filters. Growth of GaN on Si enables releasing the device from the frontside using isotropic xenon difluoride (XeF₂) etch and therefore eliminating the need for backside lithography and etching.

The Formation and Characterization of GaN Hexagonal Pyramids

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Shi-Ying; Xiu, Xiang-Qian; Lin, Zeng-Qin; Hua, Xue-Mei; Xie, Zi-Li; Zhang, Rong; Zheng, You-Dou

2013-05-01

GaN with hexagonal pyramids is fabricated using the photo-assisted electroless chemical etching method. Defective areas of the GaN substrate are selectively etched in a mixed solution of KOH and K2S2O8 under ultraviolet illumination, producing submicron-sized pyramids. Hexagonal pyramids on the etched GaN with well-defined {101¯1¯} facets and very sharp tips are formed. High-resolution x-ray diffraction shows that etched GaN with pyramids has a higher crystal quality, and micro-Raman spectra reveal a tensile stress relaxation in GaN with pyramids compared with normal GaN. The cathodoluminescence intensity of GaN after etching is significantly increased by three times, which is attributed to the reduction in the internal reflection, high-quality GaN with pyramids and the Bragg effect.

The Peculiarities of Strain Relaxation in GaN/AlN Superlattices Grown on Vicinal GaN (0001) Substrate: Comparative XRD and AFM Study.

PubMed

Kuchuk, Andrian V; Kryvyi, Serhii; Lytvyn, Petro M; Li, Shibin; Kladko, Vasyl P; Ware, Morgan E; Mazur, Yuriy I; Safryuk, Nadiia V; Stanchu, Hryhorii V; Belyaev, Alexander E; Salamo, Gregory J

2016-12-01

Superlattices (SLs) consisting of symmetric layers of GaN and AlN have been investigated. Detailed X-ray diffraction and reflectivity measurements demonstrate that the relaxation of built-up strain in the films generally increases with an increasing number of repetitions; however, an apparent relaxation for subcritical thickness SLs is explained through the accumulation of Nagai tilt at each interface of the SL. Additional atomic force microscopy measurements reveal surface pit densities which appear to correlate with the amount of residual strain in the films along with the appearance of cracks for SLs which have exceeded the critical thickness for plastic relaxation. These results indicate a total SL thickness beyond which growth may be limited for the formation of high-quality coherent crystal structures; however, they may indicate a growth window for the reduction of threading dislocations by controlled relaxation of the epilayers.

Size dependent bandgap of molecular beam epitaxy grown InN quantum dots measured by scanning tunneling spectroscopy

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kumar, Mahesh; Roul, Basanta; Central Research Laboratory, Bharat Electronics, Bangalore-560013

InN quantum dots (QDs) were grown on Si (111) by epitaxial Stranski-Krastanow growth mode using plasma-assisted molecular beam epitaxy. Single-crystalline wurtzite structure of InN QDs was verified by the x-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy. Scanning tunneling microscopy has been used to probe the structural aspects of QDs. A surface bandgap of InN QDs was estimated from scanning tunneling spectroscopy (STS) I-V curves and found that it is strongly dependent on the size of QDs. The observed size-dependent STS bandgap energy shifts with diameter and height were theoretical explained based on an effective mass approximation with finite-depth square-well potential model.

Structural and optical properties of low temperature grown AlN films on sapphire using helicon sputtering system

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Chen, Meei-Ru; Chen, Hou-Guang; Kao, Hui-Ling, E-mail: hlkao@cycu.edu.tw

2015-05-15

AlN thin films have been deposited directly on c-plane sapphire substrates at low temperatures by a helicon sputtering system. The structural quality of AlN epitaxial films was characterized by x-ray diffractometry and transmission electron microscopy. The films exhibit smooth surface with root-mean-square roughness as small as 0.7 nm evaluated by atomic force microscope. The optical transmittance spectra show a steep absorption edge at the wavelength of 200 nm and a high transmittance of over 80% in the visible range. The band-edge transition (6.30 eV) of AlN film was observed in the cathodoluminescence spectrum recorded at 11 K. The spectral response of metal–semiconductor–metal photodetectors constructedmore » with AlN/sapphire reveals the peak responsivity at 200 nm and a UV/visible rejection ratio of about two orders of magnitude. The results of this low temperature deposition suggest the feasibility of the epitaxial growth of AlN on sapphire substrates and the incorporation of the AlN films in the surface acoustic wave devices and the optical devices at deep ultraviolet region.« less

CVD of SiC and AlN using cyclic organometallic precursors

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Interrante, L. V.; Larkin, D. J.; Amato, C.

1992-01-01

The use of cyclic organometallic molecules as single-source MOCVD precursors is illustrated by means of examples taken from our recent work on AlN and SiC deposition, with particular focus on SiC. Molecules containing (AlN)3 and (SiC)2 rings as the 'core structure' were employed as the source materials for these studies. The organoaluminum amide, (Me2AlNH2)3, was used as the AlN source and has been studied in a molecular beam sampling apparatus in order to determine the gas phase species present in a hot-wall CVD reactor environment. In the case of SiC CVD, a series of disilacyclobutanes (Si(XX')CH2)2 (with X and X' = H, CH3, and CH2SiH2CH3), were examined in a cold-wall, hot-stage CVD reactor in order to compare their relative reactivities and prospective utility as single-source CVD precursors. The parent compound, disilacyclobutane, (SiH2CH2)2, was found to exhibit the lowest deposition temperature (ca. 670 C) and to yield the highest purity SiC films. This precursor gave a highly textured, polycrystalline film on the Si(100) substrates.

Giant increase in piezoelectric coefficient of AlN by Mg-Nb simultaneous addition and multiple chemical states of Nb

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Uehara, Masato; Shigemoto, Hokuto; Fujio, Yuki; Nagase, Toshimi; Aida, Yasuhiro; Umeda, Keiichi; Akiyama, Morito

2017-09-01

Aluminum nitride (AlN) is one of piezoelectric materials, which are eagerly anticipated for use in microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) applications such as communication resonators, sensors, and energy harvesters. AlN is particularly excellent in generated voltage characteristics for the MEMS rather than oxide piezoelectric materials such as lead zirconium titanate Pb(Zr, Ti)O3. However, it is necessary to improve the piezoelectric properties of AlN in order to advance the performance of the MEMS. We dramatically increased the piezoelectric coefficient d33 of AlN films by simultaneously adding magnesium (Mg) and niobium (Nb). The d33 of Mg39.3Nb25.0Al35.7N is 22 pC/N, which is about four times that of AlN. The d33 is increased by Mg and Nb simultaneous addition, and is not increased by Mg or Nb single addition. Interestingly, the Nb has multiple chemical states, and which are influenced by the Mg concentration.

Total photoelectron yield spectroscopy of energy distribution of electronic states density at GaN surface and SiO2/GaN interface

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ohta, Akio; Truyen, Nguyen Xuan; Fujimura, Nobuyuki; Ikeda, Mitsuhisa; Makihara, Katsunori; Miyazaki, Seiichi

2018-06-01

The energy distribution of the electronic state density of wet-cleaned epitaxial GaN surfaces and SiO2/GaN structures has been studied by total photoelectron yield spectroscopy (PYS). By X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analysis, the energy band diagram for a wet-cleaned epitaxial GaN surface such as the energy level of the valence band top and electron affinity has been determined to obtain a better understanding of the measured PYS signals. The electronic state density of GaN surface with different carrier concentrations in the energy region corresponding to the GaN bandgap has been evaluated. Also, the interface defect state density of SiO2/GaN structures was also estimated by not only PYS analysis but also capacitance–voltage (C–V) characteristics. We have demonstrated that PYS analysis enables the evaluation of defect state density filled with electrons at the SiO2/GaN interface in the energy region corresponding to the GaN midgap, which is difficult to estimate by C–V measurement of MOS capacitors.

Observation of Significant enhancement in the efficiency of a DSSC by InN nanoparticles over TiO 2-nanoparticle films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Tsai-Te; Raghunath, P.; Lu, Yun-Fang; Liu, Yu-Chang; Chiou, Chwei-Huawn; Lin, M. C.

2011-06-01

We have studied the effect of InN deposited over TiO2 nanoparticle (NP) films on the performance of dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) using N3 dye with I/I3- electrolyte. A 10-20% increase in efficiency was observed for InN deposited, N3 sensitized 5-8.5 μm thick TiO2 films as compared to similar non-treated films. The deposition of InN was carried out in the temperature range of 573-723 K organometallic chemical vapor deposition (OMCVD). Spectral shifts and DFT calculations with a model anchoring group (R‧COOH) both suggest binding of the N3 dye directly to both InN and the InN/TiO2 sites.

Properties of planar structures based on Policluster films of diamond and AlN

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Belyanin, A. F.; Luchnikov, A. P.; Nalimov, S. A.; Bagdasarian, A. S.

2018-01-01

AlN films doped with zinc were grown on Si substrates by RF magnetron reactive sputtering of a compound target. Policluster films of diamond doped with boron were formed on layered Si/AlN substrates from the gas phase hydrogen and methane, activated arc discharge. By electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction and Raman spectroscopy the composition and structure of synthetic policluster films of diamond and AlN films were studied. Photovoltaic devices based on the AlN/PFD layered structure are presented.

Ab initio molecular dynamics simulations of AlN responding to low energy particle radiation

DOE PAGES

Xi, Jianqi; Liu, Bin; Zhang, Yanwen; ...

2018-01-30

Ab initio molecular dynamics simulations of low energy recoil events in wurtzite AlN have been performed to determine threshold displacement energies, defect production and evolution mechanisms, role of partial charge transfer during the process, and the influence of irradiation-induced defects on the properties of AlN. Here, the results show that the threshold displacement energies, E d, along the direction parallel to the basal planes are smaller than those perpendicular to the basal planes. The minimum E d values are determined to be 19 eV and 55 eV for N and Al atom, respectively, which occur along the [more » $$\\overline{11}20$$] direction. In general, the threshold displacement energies for N are smaller than those for Al atom, indicating the N defects would be dominant under irradiation. The defect production mechanisms have been analyzed. It is found that charge transfer and redistribution for both the primary knock-on atom and the subsequent recoil atoms play a significant role in defect production and evolution. Similar to the trend in oxide materials, there is a nearly linear relationship between E d and the total amount of charge transfer at the potential energy peak in AlN, which provides guidance on the development of charge-transfer interatomic potentials for classic molecular dynamics simulations. Finally, the response behavior of AlN to low energy irradiation is qualitatively investigated. The existence of irradiation-induced defects significantly modifies the electronic structure, and thus affects the magnetic, electronic and optical properties of AlN. In conclusion, these findings further enrich the understanding of defects in the wide bandgap semiconductor of AlN.« less

Ab initio molecular dynamics simulations of AlN responding to low energy particle radiation

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Xi, Jianqi; Liu, Bin; Zhang, Yanwen

Ab initio molecular dynamics simulations of low energy recoil events in wurtzite AlN have been performed to determine threshold displacement energies, defect production and evolution mechanisms, role of partial charge transfer during the process, and the influence of irradiation-induced defects on the properties of AlN. Here, the results show that the threshold displacement energies, E d, along the direction parallel to the basal planes are smaller than those perpendicular to the basal planes. The minimum E d values are determined to be 19 eV and 55 eV for N and Al atom, respectively, which occur along the [more » $$\\overline{11}20$$] direction. In general, the threshold displacement energies for N are smaller than those for Al atom, indicating the N defects would be dominant under irradiation. The defect production mechanisms have been analyzed. It is found that charge transfer and redistribution for both the primary knock-on atom and the subsequent recoil atoms play a significant role in defect production and evolution. Similar to the trend in oxide materials, there is a nearly linear relationship between E d and the total amount of charge transfer at the potential energy peak in AlN, which provides guidance on the development of charge-transfer interatomic potentials for classic molecular dynamics simulations. Finally, the response behavior of AlN to low energy irradiation is qualitatively investigated. The existence of irradiation-induced defects significantly modifies the electronic structure, and thus affects the magnetic, electronic and optical properties of AlN. In conclusion, these findings further enrich the understanding of defects in the wide bandgap semiconductor of AlN.« less

Mechanical and Thermophysical Properties of Cubic Rock-Salt AlN Under High Pressure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lebga, Noudjoud; Daoud, Salah; Sun, Xiao-Wei; Bioud, Nadhira; Latreche, Abdelhakim

2018-03-01

Density functional theory, density functional perturbation theory, and the Debye model have been used to investigate the structural, elastic, sound velocity, and thermodynamic properties of AlN with cubic rock-salt structure under high pressure, yielding the equilibrium structural parameters, equation of state, and elastic constants of this interesting material. The isotropic shear modulus, Pugh ratio, and Poisson's ratio were also investigated carefully. In addition, the longitudinal, transverse, and average elastic wave velocities, phonon contribution to the thermal conductivity, and interesting thermodynamic properties were predicted and analyzed in detail. The results demonstrate that the behavior of the elastic wave velocities under increasing hydrostatic pressure explains the hardening of the corresponding phonons. Based on the elastic stability criteria under pressure, it is found that AlN with cubic rock-salt structure is mechanically stable, even at pressures up to 100 GPa. Analysis of the Pugh ratio and Poisson's ratio revealed that AlN with cubic rock-salt structure behaves in brittle manner.

A Comparative Study of Thermal Conductivity and Tribological Behavior of Squeeze Cast A359/AlN and A359/SiC Composites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shalaby, Essam. A. M.; Churyumov, Alexander. Yu.; Besisa, Dina. H. A.; Daoud, A.; Abou El-khair, M. T.

2017-07-01

A comparative study of thermal and wear behavior of squeeze cast A359 alloy and composites containing 5, 10 and 15 wt.% AlN and SiC particulates was investigated. It was pointed out that A359/AlN composites have a superior thermal conductivity as compared to A359 alloy or even to A359/SiC composites. Composites wear characteristics were achieved by pins-on-disk instrument over a load range of 20-60 N and a sliding speed of 2.75 m/s. Results showed that A359/AlN and A359/SiC composites exhibited higher wear resistance values compared to A359 alloy. Moreover, A359/AlN composites showed superior values of wear resistance than A359/SiC composites at relatively high loads. Friction coefficients and contact surface temperature for A359/AlN specimens decreased as AlN content increased, while they increased for A359/SiC. Investigations of worn surfaces revealed that A359/AlN composites were covered up by aluminum nitrides and iron oxides, which acted as smooth layers. However, A359/SiC composites were mainly covered only by iron oxides. The superior thermal conductivity and the significant wear resistance of the developed A359/AlN composites provided a high durable material suitable for industrial applications.

Morphology Controlled Fabrication of InN Nanowires on Brass Substrates

PubMed Central

Li, Huijie; Zhao, Guijuan; Wang, Lianshan; Chen, Zhen; Yang, Shaoyan

2016-01-01

Growth of semiconductor nanowires on cheap metal substrates could pave the way to the large-scale manufacture of low-cost nanowire-based devices. In this work, we demonstrated that high density InN nanowires can be directly grown on brass substrates by metal-organic chemical vapor deposition. It was found that Zn from the brass substrates is the key factor in the formation of nanowires by restricting the lateral growth of InN. The nanowire morphology is highly dependent on the growth temperature. While at a lower growth temperature, the nanowires and the In droplets have large diameters. At the elevated growth temperature, the lateral sizes of the nanowires and the In droplets are much smaller. Moreover, the nanowire diameter can be controlled in situ by varying the temperature in the growth process. This method is very instructive to the diameter-controlled growth of nanowires of other materials. PMID:28335323

No Vacancy: Inn Provides Revenue Source for Financially Troubled Institute.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bridges, Jerry G.; Brant, Joseph F.

1994-01-01

The Peabody Institute of Baltimore (Maryland), the Johns Hopkins University's music school, addressed its financial problems by converting four campus buildings into an inn used to house Elderhostel participants. Annual program revenues cover all costs and yield a financial reserve for the school. (MSE)

Mass sensing AlN sensors for waste water monitoring

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Porrazzo, R.; Potter, G.; Lydecker, L.; Foraida, Z.; Gattu, S.; Tokranova, N.; Castracane, J.

2014-08-01

Monitoring the presence of nanomaterials in waste water from semiconductor facilities is a critical task for public health organizations. Advanced semiconductor technology allows the fabrication of sensitive piezoelectric-based mass sensors with a detection limit of less than 1.35 ng/cm2 of nanomaterials such as nanoparticles of alumina, amorphous silica, ceria, etc. The interactions between acoustic waves generated by the piezoelectric sensor and nanomaterial mass attached to its surface define the sensing response as a shift in the resonant frequency. In this article the development and characterization of a prototype AlN film bulk acoustic resonator (FBAR) are presented. DC reactive magnetron sputtering was used to create tilted c-axis oriented AlN films to generate shear waves which don't propagate in liquids thus minimizing the acoustic losses. The high acoustic velocity of AlN over quartz allows an increase in resonance frequency in comparison with a quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) and results in a higher frequency shift per mass change, and thus greater sensitivity. The membrane and electrodes were fabricated using state of the art semiconductor technology. The device surface functionalization was performed to demonstrate selectivity towards a specific nanomaterial. As a result, the devices were covered with a "docking" layer that allows the nanomaterials to be selectively attached to the surface. This was achieved using covalent modification of the surface, specifically targeting ZnO nanoparticles. Our functionalization approach was tested using two different types of nanoparticles, and binding specificity was confirmed with various analytical techniques.

Improved crystalline quality of AlN epitaxial layer on sapphire by introducing TMGa pulse flow into the nucleation stage

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu, Hualong; Wang, Hailong; Chen, Yingda; Zhang, Lingxia; Chen, Zimin; Wu, Zhisheng; Wang, Gang; Jiang, Hao

2018-05-01

The crystalline quality of AlN epitaxial layers on sapphire substrates was improved by introducing trimethylgallium (TMGa) pulse flow into the growth of AlN nucleation layers. It was found that the density of both screw- and edge-type threading dislocations could be significantly reduced by introducing the TMGa pulse flow. With increasing TMGa pulse flow times, the lateral correlation length (i.e. the grain size) increases and the strain in the AlN epilayers changes from tensile state to compressive state. Unstrained AlN with the least dislocations and a smooth surface was obtained by introducing 2-times TMGa pulse flow. The crystalline improvement is attributed to enhanced lateral growth and improved crystalline orientation by the TMGa pulse flow.

Growth and Comparison of Residual Stress of AlN Films on Silicon (100), (110) and (111) Substrates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pandey, Akhilesh; Dutta, Shankar; Prakash, Ravi; Raman, R.; Kapoor, Ashok Kumar; Kaur, Davinder

2018-02-01

This paper reports on the comparison of residual stresses in AlN thin films sputter-deposited in identical conditions on Si (100) (110) and (111) substrates. The deposited films are of polycrystalline wurtzite structure with preferred orientation along the (002) direction. AlN film on the Si (111) substrate showed a vertical columnar structure, whereas films on Si (100) and (110) showed tilted columnar structures. Residual stress in the AlN films is estimated by x-ray diffraction (XRD), infra-red absorption method and wafer curvature technique. Films residual stress are found compressive and values are in the range of - 650 (± 50) MPa, - 730 (± 50) MPa and - 300 (± 50) MPa for the AlN films grown on Si (100), (110) and (111) substrates, respectively, with different techniques. The difference in residual stresses can be attributed to the microstructure of the films and mismatch between in plane atomic arrangements of the film and substrates.

MOVPE growth of N-polar AlN on 4H-SiC: Effect of substrate miscut on layer quality

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lemettinen, J.; Okumura, H.; Kim, I.; Kauppinen, C.; Palacios, T.; Suihkonen, S.

2018-04-01

We present the effect of miscut angle of SiC substrates on N-polar AlN growth. The N-polar AlN layers were grown on C-face 4H-SiC substrates with a miscut towards 〈 1 bar 1 0 0 〉 by metal-organic vapor phase epitaxy (MOVPE). The optimal V/III ratios for high-quality AlN growth on 1 ° and 4 ° miscut substrates were found to be 20,000 and 1000, respectively. MOVPE grown N-polar AlN layer without hexagonal hillocks or step bunching was achieved using a 4H-SiC substrate with an intentional miscut of 1 ° towards 〈 1 bar 1 0 0 〉 . The 200-nm-thick AlN layer exhibited X-ray rocking curve full width half maximums of 203 arcsec and 389 arcsec for (0 0 2) and (1 0 2) reflections, respectively. The root mean square roughness was 0.4 nm for a 2 μm × 2 μm atomic force microscope scan.

High nitrogen pressure solution growth of GaN

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bockowski, Michal

2014-10-01

Results of GaN growth from gallium solution under high nitrogen pressure are presented. Basic of the high nitrogen pressure solution (HNPS) growth method is described. A new approach of seeded growth, multi-feed seed (MFS) configuration, is demonstrated. The use of two kinds of seeds: free-standing hydride vapor phase epitaxy GaN (HVPE-GaN) obtained from metal organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD)-GaN/sapphire templates and free-standing HVPE-GaN obtained from the ammonothermally grown GaN crystals, is shown. Depending on the seeds’ structural quality, the differences in the structural properties of pressure grown material are demonstrated and analyzed. The role and influence of impurities, like oxygen and magnesium, on GaN crystals grown from gallium solution in the MFS configuration is presented. The properties of differently doped GaN crystals are discussed. An application of the pressure grown GaN crystals as substrates for electronic and optoelectronic devices is reported.

Activation and evaluation of GaN photocathodes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Qian, Yunsheng; Chang, Benkang; Qiao, Jiangliang; Zhang, Yijun; Fu, Rongguo; Qiu, Yafeng

2009-09-01

Gallium Nitride (GaN) photocathodes are potentially attractive as UV detective materials and electron sources. Based on the activation and evaluation system for GaAs photocathode, which consists of ultra-high vacuum (UHV) activation chamber, multi-information measurement system, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and ultraviolet ray photoelectron spectroscopy (UPS), the control and measurement system for the activation of UV photocathodes was developed. The developed system, which consists of Xenon lamp, monochromator with scanner, signal-processing module, power control unit of Cs and O source, A/D adapter, digital I/O card, computer and software, can control the activation of GaN photocathodes and measure on-line the spectral response curves of GaN photocathodes. GaN materials on sapphire substrate were grown by Metal-Organic Chemical Vapor Deposition (MOCVD) with p-type Mg doping. The GaN materials were activated by Cs-O. The spectral response and quantum efficiency (QE) were measured and calculated. The experiment results are discussed.

Dislocation-induced nanoparticle decoration on a GaN nanowire.

PubMed

Yang, Bing; Yuan, Fang; Liu, Qingyun; Huang, Nan; Qiu, Jianhang; Staedler, Thorsten; Liu, Baodan; Jiang, Xin

2015-02-04

GaN nanowires with homoepitaxial decorated GaN nanoparticles on their surface along the radial direction have been synthesized by means of a chemical vapor deposition method. The growth of GaN nanowires is catalyzed by Au particles via the vapor-liquid-solid (VLS) mechanism. Screw dislocations are generated along the radial direction of the nanowires under slight Zn doping. In contrast to the metal-catalyst-assisted VLS growth, GaN nanoparticles are found to prefer to nucleate and grow at these dislocation sites. High-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) analysis demonstrates that the GaN nanoparticles possess two types of epitaxial orientation with respect to the corresponding GaN nanowire: (I) [1̅21̅0]np//[1̅21̅0]nw, (0001)np//(0001)nw; (II) [1̅21̅3]np//[12̅10]nw, (101̅0)np//(101̅0)nw. An increased Ga signal in the energy-dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) profile lines of the nanowires suggests GaN nanoparticle growth at the edge surface of the wires. All the crystallographic results confirm the importance of the dislocations with respect to the homoepitaxial growth of the GaN nanoparticles. Here, screw dislocations situated on the (0001) plane provide the self-step source to enable nucleation of the GaN nanoparticles.

Homogeneous AlGaN/GaN superlattices grown on free-standing (1100) GaN substrates by plasma-assisted molecular beam epitaxy

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Shao, Jiayi; Malis, Oana; Physics Department, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana 47907

Two-dimensional and homogeneous growth of m-plane AlGaN by plasma-assisted molecular beam epitaxy has been realized on free-standing (1100) GaN substrates by implementing high metal-to-nitrogen (III/N) flux ratio. AlN island nucleation, often reported for m-plane AlGaN under nitrogen-rich growth conditions, is suppressed at high III/N flux ratio, highlighting the important role of growth kinetics for adatom incorporation. The homogeneity and microstructure of m-plane AlGaN/GaN superlattices are assessed via a combination of scanning transmission electron microscopy and high resolution transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The predominant defects identified in dark field TEM characterization are short basal plane stacking faults (SFs) bounded by eithermore » Frank-Shockley or Frank partial dislocations. In particular, the linear density of SFs is approximately 5 × 10{sup −5} cm{sup −1}, and the length of SFs is less than 15 nm.« less

Ti, Al and N adatom adsorption and diffusion on rocksalt cubic AlN (001) and (011) surfaces: Ab initio calculations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mastail, C.; David, M.; Nita, F.; Michel, A.; Abadias, G.

2017-11-01

We use ab initio calculations to determine the preferred nucleation sites and migration pathways of Ti, Al and N adatoms on cubic NaCl-structure (B1) AlN surfaces, primary inputs towards a further thin film growth modelling of the TiAlN alloy system. The potential energy landscape is mapped out for both metallic species and nitrogen adatoms for two different AlN surface orientations, (001) and (110), using density functional theory. For all species, the adsorption energies on AlN(011) surface are larger than on AlN(001) surface. Ti and Al adatom adsorption energy landscapes determined at 0 K by ab initio show similar features, with stable binding sites being located in, or near, epitaxial surface positions, with Ti showing a stronger binding compared to Al. In direct contrast, N adatoms (Nad) adsorb preferentially close to N surface atoms (Nsurf), thus forming strong N2-molecule-like bonds on both AlN(001) and (011). Similar to N2 desorption mechanisms reported for other cubic transition metal nitride surfaces, in the present work we investigate Nad/Nsurf desorption on AlN(011) using a drag calculation method. We show that this process leaves a Nsurf vacancy accompanied with a spontaneous surface reconstruction, highlighting faceting formation during growth.

Large electron capture-cross-section of the major nonradiative recombination centers in Mg-doped GaN epilayers grown on a GaN substrate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chichibu, S. F.; Shima, K.; Kojima, K.; Takashima, S.; Edo, M.; Ueno, K.; Ishibashi, S.; Uedono, A.

2018-05-01

Complementary time-resolved photoluminescence and positron annihilation measurements were carried out at room temperature on Mg-doped p-type GaN homoepitaxial films for identifying the origin and estimating the electron capture-cross-section ( σ n ) of the major nonradiative recombination centers (NRCs). To eliminate any influence by threading dislocations, free-standing GaN substrates were used. In Mg-doped p-type GaN, defect complexes composed of a Ga-vacancy (VGa) and multiple N-vacancies (VNs), namely, VGa(VN)2 [or even VGa(VN)3], are identified as the major intrinsic NRCs. Different from the case of 4H-SiC, atomic structures of intrinsic NRCs in p-type and n-type GaN are different: VGaVN divacancies are the major NRCs in n-type GaN. The σ n value approximately the middle of 10-13 cm2 is obtained for VGa(VN)n, which is larger than the hole capture-cross-section (σp = 7 × 10-14 cm2) of VGaVN in n-type GaN. Combined with larger thermal velocity of an electron, minority carrier lifetime in Mg-doped GaN becomes much shorter than that of n-type GaN.

Synthesis of p-type GaN nanowires.

PubMed

Kim, Sung Wook; Park, Youn Ho; Kim, Ilsoo; Park, Tae-Eon; Kwon, Byoung Wook; Choi, Won Kook; Choi, Heon-Jin

2013-09-21

GaN has been utilized in optoelectronics for two decades. However, p-type doping still remains crucial for realization of high performance GaN optoelectronics. Though Mg has been used as a p-dopant, its efficiency is low due to the formation of Mg-H complexes and/or structural defects in the course of doping. As a potential alternative p-type dopant, Cu has been recognized as an acceptor impurity for GaN. Herein, we report the fabrication of Cu-doped GaN nanowires (Cu:GaN NWs) and their p-type characteristics. The NWs were grown vertically via a vapor-liquid-solid (VLS) mechanism using a Au/Ni catalyst. Electrical characterization using a nanowire-field effect transistor (NW-FET) showed that the NWs exhibited n-type characteristics. However, with further annealing, the NWs showed p-type characteristics. A homo-junction structure (consisting of annealed Cu:GaN NW/n-type GaN thin film) exhibited p-n junction characteristics. A hybrid organic light emitting diode (OLED) employing the annealed Cu:GaN NWs as a hole injection layer (HIL) also demonstrated current injected luminescence. These results suggest that Cu can be used as a p-type dopant for GaN NWs.

R&W Club Frederick Raises $1,500 for The Children’s Inn at Annual Golf Tournament | Poster

Cancer.gov

Forty-four government and contractor employees, along with their friends and family members, took to the Maryland National Golf Club course this fall for a cause. The R&W Club Frederick held its third annual golf tournament at the Middletown, Md., golf course on Sept. 14 to raise funds for The Children’s Inn at NIH, which celebrated its 25th anniversary this year. The Inn

Energy structure and radiative lifetimes of InxGa1-xN /AlN quantum dots

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aleksandrov, Ivan A.; Zhuravlev, Konstantin S.

2018-01-01

We report calculations of the ground state transition energies and the radiative lifetimes in InxGa1-xN /AlN quantum dots with different size and indium content. The ground state transition energy and the radiative lifetime of the InxGa1-xN /AlN quantum dots can be varied over a wide range by changing the height of the quantum dot and the indium content. The sizes and compositions for quantum dots emitting in the wavelength range for fiber-optic telecommunications have been found. The radiative lifetime of the InxGa1-xN /AlN quantum dots increases with increase in quantum dot height at a constant indium content, and increases with increase in indium content at constant quantum dot height. For quantum dots with constant ground state transition energy the radiative lifetime decreases with increase in indium content.

Superconductivity and tunneling-junctions in epitaxial Nb2N/AlN/GaN heterojunctions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yan, Rusen; Han, Yimo; Khalsa, Guru; Vishwanath, Suresh; Katzer, Scott; Nepal, Neeraj; Downey, Brian; Muller, David; Meyer, David; Xing, Grace; Jena, Debdeep; ECE Collaboration; AEP Collaboration; MSE Collaboration; NRL Collaboration

We have discovered that ultrathin highly crystalline Nb2N layers grown epitaxially (by MBE) on SiC and integrated with AlN and GaN heterostructures are high-quality superconductors with transition temperatures from 9-13 K. The out-of-plane critical magnetic fields are found to be 14 Tesla range, and the critical current density is 4*1E5 A/cm2 at 5 K. Preliminary in-plane magnetotransport measurements on 4 nm thin films indicate a significantly high critical magnetic field exceeding 40 T. Since Nb2N superconducting layers can be epitaxially integrated with GaN, AlN, and AlGaN, we also demonstrate Nb2N superconductivity in a layer located beneath an N-polar GaN high-electron-mobility transistor (HEMT) heterostructure that uses a 2DEG channel as a microwave amplifier; such a demonstration illustrates the potential emergence of a new paradigm where an all-epitaxial III-N/Nb2N platform could serve as the basis for microwave qubits to power quantum computation as well as quantum communications.

Quantum state engineering with ultra-short-period (AlN)m/(GaN)n superlattices for narrowband deep-ultraviolet detection.

PubMed

Gao, Na; Lin, Wei; Chen, Xue; Huang, Kai; Li, Shuping; Li, Jinchai; Chen, Hangyang; Yang, Xu; Ji, Li; Yu, Edward T; Kang, Junyong

2014-12-21

Ultra-short-period (AlN)m/(GaN)n superlattices with tunable well and barrier atomic layer numbers were grown by metal-organic vapour phase epitaxy, and employed to demonstrate narrowband deep ultraviolet photodetection. High-resolution transmission electron microscopy and X-ray reciprocal space mapping confirm that superlattices containing well-defined, coherently strained GaN and AlN layers as thin as two atomic layers (∼ 0.5 nm) were grown. Theoretical and experimental results demonstrate that an optical absorption band as narrow as 9 nm (210 meV) at deep-ultraviolet wavelengths can be produced, and is attributable to interband transitions between quantum states along the [0001] direction in ultrathin GaN atomic layers isolated by AlN barriers. The absorption wavelength can be precisely engineered by adjusting the thickness of the GaN atomic layers because of the quantum confinement effect. These results represent a major advance towards the realization of wavelength selectable and narrowband photodetectors in the deep-ultraviolet region without any additional optical filters.

"Could I return to my life?" Integrated Narrative Nursing Model in Education (INNE).

PubMed

Artioli, Giovanna; Foà, Chiara; Cosentino, Chiara; Sulla, Francesco; Sollami, Alfonso; Taffurelli, Chiara

2018-03-28

The Integrated Narrative Nursing Model (INNM) is an approach that integrates the qualitative methodology typical of the human sciences, with the quantitative methodology more often associated with the natural sciences. This complex model, which combines a focus on narrative with quantitative measures, has recently been effectively applied to the assessment of chronic patients. In this study, the model is applied to the planning phase of education (Integrated Narrative Nursing Education, INNE), and proves to be a valid instrument for the promotion of the current educational paradigm that is centered on the engagement of both the patient and the caregiver in their own path of care. The aim of this study is therefore to describe the nurse's strategy in the planning of an educational intervention by using the INNE model. The case of a 70-year-old woman with pulmonary neoplasm is described at her first admission to Hospice. Each step conducted by the reference nurse, who uses INNE to record the nurse-patient narrative and collect subsequent questionnaires in order to create a shared educational plan, is also described. The information collected was submitted, starting from a grounded methodology to the following four levels of analysis: I. Needs Assessment, II. Narrative Diagnosis, III. Quantitative Outcome, IV. Integrated Outcome. Step IV, which is derived from the integration of all levels of analysis, allows a nurse to define, even graphically, the conceptual map of a patient's needs, resources and perspectives, in a completely tailored manner. The INNE model offers a valid methodological support for the professional who intends to educate the patient through an inter-subjective and engaged pathway, between the professional, their patient and the socio-relational context. It is a matter of adopting a complex vision that combines processes and methods that require a steady scientific basis and advanced methodological expertise with active listening and empathy

Ti{sub 2}AlN thin films synthesized by annealing of (Ti+Al)/AlN multilayers

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Cabioch, Thierry, E-mail: Thierry.cabioch@univ-poitiers.fr; Alkazaz, Malaz; Beaufort, Marie-France

2016-08-15

Highlights: • Epitaxial thin films of the MAX phase Ti{sub 2}AlN are obtained by thermal annealing. • A new metastable (Ti,Al,N) solid solution with the structure of α-T is evidenced. • The formation of the MAX phase occurs at low temperature (600 °C). - Abstract: Single-phase Ti{sub 2}AlN thin films were obtained by annealing in vacuum of (Ti + Al)/AlN multilayers deposited at room temperature by magnetron sputtering onto single-crystalline (0001) 4H-SiC and (0001) Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} substrates. In-situ X-ray diffraction experiments combined with ex-situ cross-sectional transmission electron microscopy observations reveal that interdiffusion processes occur in the multilayer at amore » temperature of ∼400 °C leading to the formation of a (Ti, Al, N) solid solution, having the hexagonal structure of α-Ti, whereas the formation of Ti{sub 2}AlN occurs at 550–600 °C. Highly oriented (0002) Ti{sub 2}AlN thin films can be obtained after an annealing at 750 °C.« less

Mocvd Growth of Group-III Nitrides on Silicon Carbide: From Thin Films to Atomically Thin Layers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Al Balushi, Zakaria Y.

Group-III nitride semiconductors (AlN, GaN, InN and their alloys) are considered one of the most important class of materials for electronic and optoelectronic devices. This is not limited to the blue light-emitting diode (LED) used for efficient solid-state lighting, but other applications as well, such as solar cells, radar and a variety of high frequency power electronics, which are all prime examples of the technological importance of nitride based wide bandgap semiconductors in our daily lives. The goal of this dissertation work was to explore and establish new growth schemes to improve the structural and optical properties of thick to atomically thin films of group-III nitrides grown by metalorganic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) on SiC substrates for future novel devices. The first research focus of this dissertation was on the growth of indium gallium nitride (InGaN). This wide bandgap semiconductor has attracted much research attention as an active layer in LEDs and recently as an absorber material for solar cells. InGaN has superior material properties for solar cells due to its wavelength absorption tunability that nearly covers the entire solar spectrum. This can be achieved by controlling the indium content in thick grown material. Thick InGaN films are also of interest as strain reducing based layers for deep-green and red light emitters. The growth of thick films of InGaN is, however, hindered by several combined problems. This includes poor incorporation of indium in alloys, high density of structural and morphological defects, as well as challenges associated with the segregation of indium in thick films. Overcoming some of these material challenges is essential in order integrate thick InGaN films into future optoelectronics. Therefore, this dissertation research investigated the growth mechanism of InGaN layers grown in the N-polar direction by MOCVD as a route to improve the structural and optical properties of thick InGaN films. The growth

AlN and Al oxy-nitride gate dielectrics for reliable gate stacks on Ge and InGaAs channels

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Guo, Y.; Li, H.; Robertson, J.

2016-05-28

AlN and Al oxy-nitride dielectric layers are proposed instead of Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} as a component of the gate dielectric stacks on higher mobility channels in metal oxide field effect transistors to improve their positive bias stress instability reliability. It is calculated that the gap states of nitrogen vacancies in AlN lie further away in energy from the semiconductor band gap than those of oxygen vacancies in Al{sub 2}O{sub 3}, and thus AlN might be less susceptible to charge trapping and have a better reliability performance. The unfavourable defect energy level distribution in amorphous Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} is attributed tomore » its larger coordination disorder compared to the more symmetrically bonded AlN. Al oxy-nitride is also predicted to have less tendency for charge trapping.« less

ARM MJO Investigation Experiment on Gan Island (AMIE-Gan) Science Plan

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Long, CL; Del Genio, A; Deng, M

2011-04-11

The overarching campaign, which includes the ARM Mobile Facility 2 (AMF2) deployment in conjunction with the Dynamics of the Madden-Julian Oscillation (DYNAMO) and the Cooperative Indian Ocean experiment on intraseasonal variability in the Year 2011 (CINDY2011) campaigns, is designed to test several current hypotheses regarding the mechanisms responsible for Madden-Julian Oscillation (MJO) initiation and propagation in the Indian Ocean area. The synergy between the proposed AMF2 deployment with DYNAMO/CINDY2011, and the corresponding funded experiment on Manus, combine for an overarching ARM MJO Investigation Experiment (AMIE) with two components: AMF2 on Gan Island in the Indian Ocean (AMIE-Gan), where the MJOmore » initiates and starts its eastward propagation; and the ARM Manus site (AMIE-Manus), which is in the general area where the MJO usually starts to weaken in climate models. AMIE-Gan will provide measurements of particular interest to Atmospheric System Research (ASR) researchers relevant to improving the representation of MJO initiation in climate models. The framework of DYNAMO/CINDY2011 includes two proposed island-based sites and two ship-based locations forming a square pattern with sonde profiles and scanning precipitation and cloud radars at both island and ship sites. These data will be used to produce a Variational Analysis data set coinciding with the one produced for AMIE-Manus. The synergy between AMIE-Manus and AMIE-Gan will allow studies of the initiation, propagation, and evolution of the convective cloud population within the framework of the MJO. As with AMIE-Manus, AMIE-Gan/DYNAMO also includes a significant modeling component geared toward improving the representation of MJO initiation and propagation in climate and forecast models. This campaign involves the deployment of the second, marine-capable, AMF; all of the included measurement systems; and especially the scanning and vertically pointing radars. The campaign will include

Determination of carrier diffusion length in GaN

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hafiz, Shopan; Zhang, Fan; Monavarian, Morteza; Avrutin, Vitaliy; Morkoç, Hadis; Özgür, Ümit; Metzner, Sebastian; Bertram, Frank; Christen, Jürgen; Gil, Bernard

2015-01-01

Diffusion lengths of photo-excited carriers along the c-direction were determined from photoluminescence (PL) and cross-sectional cathodoluminescence (CL) measurements in p- and n-type GaN epitaxial layers grown on c-plane sapphire by metal-organic chemical vapor deposition. The investigated samples incorporate a 6 nm thick In0.15Ga0.85N active layer capped with either 500 nm p-GaN or 1500 nm n-GaN. The top GaN layers were etched in steps and PL from the InGaN active region and the underlying layers was monitored as a function of the top GaN thickness upon photo-generation near the surface region by above bandgap excitation. Taking into consideration the absorption in the top GaN layer as well as active and underlying layers, the diffusion lengths at 295 K and at 15 K were measured to be 93 ± 7 nm and 70 ± 7 nm for Mg-doped p-type GaN and 432 ± 30 nm and 316 ± 30 nm for unintentionally doped n-type GaN, respectively, at photogenerated carrier densities of 4.2 × 1018 cm-3 using PL spectroscopy. CL measurements of the unintentionally doped n-type GaN layer at much lower carrier densities of 1017 cm-3 revealed a longer diffusion length of 525 ± 11 nm at 6 K.

The trap states in lightly Mg-doped GaN grown by MOVPE on a freestanding GaN substrate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Narita, Tetsuo; Tokuda, Yutaka; Kogiso, Tatsuya; Tomita, Kazuyoshi; Kachi, Tetsu

2018-04-01

We investigated traps in lightly Mg-doped (2 × 1017 cm-3) p-GaN fabricated by metalorganic vapor phase epitaxy (MOVPE) on a freestanding GaN substrate and the subsequent post-growth annealing, using deep level transient spectroscopy. We identified four hole traps with energy levels of EV + 0.46, 0.88, 1.0, and 1.3 eV and one electron trap at EC - 0.57 eV in a p-type GaN layer uniformly doped with magnesium (Mg). The Arrhenius plot of hole traps with the highest concentration (˜3 × 1016 cm-3) located at EV + 0.88 eV corresponded to those of hole traps ascribed to carbon on nitrogen sites in n-type GaN samples grown by MOVPE. In fact, the range of the hole trap concentrations at EV + 0.88 eV was close to the carbon concentration detected by secondary ion mass spectroscopy. Moreover, the electron trap at EC - 0.57 eV was also identical to the dominant electron traps commonly observed in n-type GaN. Together, these results suggest that the trap states in the lightly Mg-doped GaN grown by MOVPE show a strong similarity to those in n-type GaN, which can be explained by the Fermi level close to the conduction band minimum in pristine MOVPE grown samples due to existing residual donors and Mg-hydrogen complexes.

Microscopic potential fluctuations in Si-doped AlGaN epitaxial layers with various AlN molar fractions and Si concentrations

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kurai, Satoshi, E-mail: kurai@yamaguchi-u.ac.jp; Yamada, Yoichi; Miyake, Hideto

2016-01-14

Nanoscopic potential fluctuations of Si-doped AlGaN epitaxial layers with the AlN molar fraction varying from 0.42 to 0.95 and Si-doped Al{sub 0.61}Ga{sub 0.39}N epitaxial layers with Si concentrations of 3.0–37 × 10{sup 17 }cm{sup −3} were investigated by cathodoluminescence (CL) imaging combined with scanning electron microscopy. The spot CL linewidths of AlGaN epitaxial layers broadened as the AlN molar fraction was increased to 0.7, and then narrowed at higher AlN molar fractions. The experimental linewidths were compared with the theoretical prediction from the alloy broadening model. The trends displayed by our spot CL linewidths were consistent with calculated results at AlN molar fractionsmore » of less than about 0.60, but the spot CL linewidths were markedly broader than the calculated linewidths at higher AlN molar fractions. The dependence of the difference between the spot CL linewidth and calculated line broadening on AlN molar fraction was found to be similar to the dependence of reported S values, indicating that the vacancy clusters acted as the origin of additional line broadening at high AlN molar fractions. The spot CL linewidths of Al{sub 0.61}Ga{sub 0.39}N epitaxial layers with the same Al concentration and different Si concentrations were nearly constant in the entire Si concentration range tested. From the comparison of reported S values, the increase of V{sub Al} did not contribute to the linewidth broadening, unlike the case of the V{sub Al} clusters.« less

GaN epitaxial layers grown on multilayer graphene by MOCVD

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Tianbao; Liu, Chenyang; Zhang, Zhe; Yu, Bin; Dong, Hailiang; Jia, Wei; Jia, Zhigang; Yu, Chunyan; Gan, Lin; Xu, Bingshe

2018-04-01

In this study, GaN epitaxial layers were successfully deposited on a multilayer graphene (MLG) by using metal-organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD). Highly crystalline orientations of the GaN films were confirmed through electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD). An epitaxial relationship between GaN films and MLG is unambiguously established by transmission electron microscope (TEM) analysis. The Raman spectra was used to analyze the internal stress of GaN films, and the spectrum shows residual tensile stress in the GaN films. Moreover, the results of the TEM analysis and Raman spectra indicate that the high quality of the MLG substrate is maintained even after the growth of the GaN film. This high-quality MLG makes it possible to easily remove epitaxial layers from the supporting substrate by micro-mechanical exfoliation technology. This work can aid in the development of transferable devices using GaN films.

The Children's Inn at NIH turns 25 | NIH MedlinePlus the Magazine

MedlinePlus

... Children's Inn at NIH turns 25 Past Issues / Summer 2014 Table of Contents "A place like home …" ... volunteers help in every area of operations, too. Summer 2014 Issue: Volume 9 Number 2 Page 24

Stacking fault effects in Mg-doped GaN

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schmidt, T. M.; Miwa, R. H.; Orellana, W.; Chacham, H.

2002-01-01

First-principles total energy calculations are performed to investigate the interaction of a stacking fault with a p-type impurity in both zinc-blende and wurtzite GaN. For both structures we find that, in the presence of a stacking fault, the impurity level is a more localized state in the band gap. In zinc-blende GaN, the minimum energy position of the substitutional Mg atom is at the plane of the stacking fault. In contrast, in wurtzite GaN the substitutional Mg atom at the plane of the stacking fault is a local minimum and the global minimum is the substitutional Mg far from the fault. This behavior can be understood as a packing effect which induces a distinct strain relief process, since the local structure of the stacking fault in zinc-blende GaN is similar to fault-free wurtzite GaN and vice-versa.

Hydride vapor phase epitaxy of AlN using a high temperature hot-wall reactor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Baker, Troy; Mayo, Ashley; Veisi, Zeinab; Lu, Peng; Schmitt, Jason

2014-10-01

Aluminum nitride (AlN) was grown on c-plane sapphire substrates by hydride vapor phase epitaxy (HVPE). The experiments utilized a two zone inductively heated hot-wall reactor. The surface morphology, crystal quality, and growth rate were investigated as a function of growth temperature in the range of 1450-1575 °C. AlN templates grown to a thickness of 1 μm were optimized with double axis X-ray diffraction (XRD) rocking curve full width half maximums (FWHMs) of 135″ for the (002) and 513″ for the (102).

Growth Optimization of Metal-polar III-Nitride High-electron-mobility Transistor Structures by Molecular Beam Epitaxy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kaun, Stephen William

GaN-based high-electron-mobility transistors (HEMTs) will play an important role in the next generation of high-frequency amplifiers and power-switching devices. Since parasitic conduction (leakage) through the GaN buffer layer and (Al,Ga,In)N barrier reduces the efficiency of operation, HEMT performance hinges on the epitaxial quality of these layers. Increasing the sheet charge density and mobility of the two-dimensional electron gas (2DEG) is also essential for reducing the channel resistance and improving output. The growth conditions applied in plasma-assisted molecular beam epitaxy (PAMBE) and ammonia-based molecular beam epitaxy (NH3-MBE) that result in high-quality metal-polar HEMT structures are described. The effects of threading dislocations on the gate leakage and channel conductivity of AlGaN/GaN HEMTs were studied in detail. For this purpose, a series of HEMT structures were grown on GaN templates with threading dislocation densities (TDDs) that spanned three orders of magnitude. There was a clear trend of reduced gate leakage with reduced TDD for HEMTs grown by Ga-rich PAMBE; however, a reduction in TDD also entailed an increase in buffer leakage. By reducing the unintentionally doped (UID) GaN buffer thickness and including an AlGaN back barrier, a HEMT regrown by Ga-rich PAMBE on low-TDD free-standing (FS) GaN (~5 x 107 cm-2 TDD) yielded a three-terminal breakdown voltage greater than 50 V and a power output (power-added efficiency) of 6.7 W/mm (50 %) at 4 GHz with a 40 V drain bias. High TDD was then shown to severely degrade the 2DEG mobility of AlxGa1-xN/GaN (x = 0.24, 0.12, 0.06) and AlGaN/AlN/GaN heterostructures grown by Ga-rich PAMBE. By regrowing on low-TDD FS GaN and including a 2.5 nm AlN interlayer, an Al0.24Ga0.76N/AlN/GaN heterostructure achieved a room temperature (RT) 2DEG sheet resistance of 169 Ω/□. As evidenced by atom probe tomography, the AlN interlayer grown by Ga-rich PAMBE was pure with abrupt interfaces. The pure AlN

Enhanced Piezoelectric Response of AlN via CrN Alloying

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Manna, Sukriti; Talley, Kevin R.; Gorai, Prashun; Mangum, John; Zakutayev, Andriy; Brennecka, Geoff L.; Stevanović, Vladan; Ciobanu, Cristian V.

2018-03-01

Since AlN has emerged as an important piezoelectric material for a wide variety of applications, efforts have been made to increase its piezoelectric response via alloying with transition metals that can substitute for Al in the wurtzite lattice. We report on density functional theory calculations of structure and properties of the Crx Al1 -x N system for Cr concentrations ranging from zero to beyond the wurtzite-rocksalt transition point. By studying the different contributions to the longitudinal piezoelectric coefficient, we propose that the physical origin of the enhanced piezoelectricity in Crx Al1 -x N alloys is the increase of the internal parameter u of the wurtzite structure upon substitution of Al with the larger Cr ions. Among a set of wurtzite-structured materials, we find that Crx Al1 -x N has the most sensitive piezoelectric coefficient with respect to alloying concentration. Based on these results, we propose that Crx Al1 -x N is a viable piezoelectric material whose properties can be tuned via Cr composition. We support this proposal by combinatorial synthesis experiments, which show that Cr can be incorporated in the AlN lattice up to 30% before a detectable transition to rocksalt occurs. At this Cr content, the piezoelectric modulus d33 is approximately 4 times larger than that of pure AlN. This finding, combined with the relative ease of synthesis under nonequilibrium conditions, may position Crx Al1 -x N as a prime piezoelectric material for applications such as resonators and acoustic wave generators.

Enhanced Piezoelectric Response of AlN via CrN Alloying

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Manna, Sukriti; Talley, Kevin R.; Gorai, Prashun

2018-03-01

Since AlN has emerged as an important piezoelectric material for a wide variety of applications, efforts have been made to increase its piezoelectric response via alloying with transition metals that can substitute for Al in the wurtzite lattice. We report on density functional theory calculations of structure and properties of the CrxAl1-xN system for Cr concentrations ranging from zero to beyond the wurtzite-rocksalt transition point. By studying the different contributions to the longitudinal piezoelectric coefficient, we propose that the physical origin of the enhanced piezoelectricity in CrxAl1-xN alloys is the increase of the internal parameter u of the wurtzite structuremore » upon substitution of Al with the larger Cr ions. Among a set of wurtzite-structured materials, we find that CrxAl1-xN has the most sensitive piezoelectric coefficient with respect to alloying concentration. Based on these results, we propose that CrxAl1-xN is a viable piezoelectric material whose properties can be tuned via Cr composition. We support this proposal by combinatorial synthesis experiments, which show that Cr can be incorporated in the AlN lattice up to 30% before a detectable transition to rocksalt occurs. At this Cr content, the piezoelectric modulus d33 is approximately 4 times larger than that of pure AlN. This finding, combined with the relative ease of synthesis under nonequilibrium conditions, may position CrxAl1-xN as a prime piezoelectric material for applications such as resonators and acoustic wave generators.« less

Electrical properties of surface and interface layers of the N- and In-polar undoped and Mg-doped InN layers grown by PA MBE

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Komissarova, T. A.; Kampert, E.; Law, J.; Jmerik, V. N.; Paturi, P.; Wang, X.; Yoshikawa, A.; Ivanov, S. V.

2018-01-01

Electrical properties of N-polar undoped and Mg-doped InN layers and In-polar undoped InN layers grown by plasma-assisted molecular beam epitaxy (PA MBE) were studied. Transport parameters of the surface and interface layers were determined from the measurements of the Hall coefficient and resistivity as well as the Shubnikov-de Haas oscillations at magnetic fields up to 60 T. Contributions of the 2D surface, 3D near-interface, and 2D interface layers to the total conductivity of the InN films were defined and discussed to be dependent on InN surface polarity, Mg doping, and PA MBE growth conditions.

High-quality III-nitride films on conductive, transparent (2̅01)-oriented β-Ga2O3 using a GaN buffer layer.

PubMed

Muhammed, M M; Roldan, M A; Yamashita, Y; Sahonta, S-L; Ajia, I A; Iizuka, K; Kuramata, A; Humphreys, C J; Roqan, I S

2016-07-14

We demonstrate the high structural and optical properties of InxGa1-xN epilayers (0 ≤ x ≤ 23) grown on conductive and transparent (01)-oriented β-Ga2O3 substrates using a low-temperature GaN buffer layer rather than AlN buffer layer, which enhances the quality and stability of the crystals compared to those grown on (100)-oriented β-Ga2O3. Raman maps show that the 2″ wafer is relaxed and uniform. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) reveals that the dislocation density reduces considerably (~4.8 × 10(7) cm(-2)) at the grain centers. High-resolution TEM analysis demonstrates that most dislocations emerge at an angle with respect to the c-axis, whereas dislocations of the opposite phase form a loop and annihilate each other. The dislocation behavior is due to irregular (01) β-Ga2O3 surface at the interface and distorted buffer layer, followed by relaxed GaN epilayer. Photoluminescence results confirm high optical quality and time-resolved spectroscopy shows that the recombination is governed by bound excitons. We find that a low root-mean-square average (≤1.5 nm) of InxGa1-xN epilayers can be achieved with high optical quality of InxGa1-xN epilayers. We reveal that (01)-oriented β-Ga2O3 substrate has a strong potential for use in large-scale high-quality vertical light emitting device design.

Investigation on thermodynamics of ion-slicing of GaN and heterogeneously integrating high-quality GaN films on CMOS compatible Si(100) substrates.

PubMed

Huang, Kai; Jia, Qi; You, Tiangui; Zhang, Runchun; Lin, Jiajie; Zhang, Shibin; Zhou, Min; Zhang, Bo; Yu, Wenjie; Ou, Xin; Wang, Xi

2017-11-08

Die-to-wafer heterogeneous integration of single-crystalline GaN film with CMOS compatible Si(100) substrate using the ion-cutting technique has been demonstrated. The thermodynamics of GaN surface blistering is in-situ investigated via a thermal-stage optical microscopy, which indicates that the large activation energy (2.5 eV) and low H ions utilization ratio (~6%) might result in the extremely high H fluence required for the ion-slicing of GaN. The crystalline quality, surface topography and the microstructure of the GaN films are characterized in detail. The full width at half maximum (FWHM) for GaN (002) X-ray rocking curves is as low as 163 arcsec, corresponding to a density of threading dislocation of 5 × 10 7  cm -2 . Different evolution of the implantation-induced damage was observed and a relationship between the damage evolution and implantation-induced damage is demonstrated. This work would be beneficial to understand the mechanism of ion-slicing of GaN and to provide a platform for the hybrid integration of GaN devices with standard Si CMOS process.

Energetics of Mg incorporation at GaN(0001) and GaN(0001¯) surfaces

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sun, Qiang; Selloni, Annabella; Myers, T. H.; Doolittle, W. Alan

2006-04-01

By using density functional calculations in the generalized gradient approximation, we investigate the energetics of Mg adsorption and incorporation at GaN(0001) and GaN(0001¯) surfaces under various Ga and Mg coverage conditions as well as in presence of light or electron beam-induced electronic excitation. We find significant differences in Mg incorporation between Ga- and N-polar surfaces. Mg incorporation is easier at the Ga-polar surface, but high Mg coverages are found to cause important distortions which locally change the polarity from Ga to N polar. At the N-rich and moderately Ga-rich GaN(0001) surface, 0.25 ML of Mg substituting Ga in the top bilayer strongly reduce the surface diffusion barriers of Ga and N adatoms, in agreement with the surfactant effect observed in experiments. As the Mg coverage exceeds 0.5 ML, partial incorporation in the subsurface region (second bilayer) becomes favorable. A surface structure with 0.5 ML of incorporated Mg in the top bilayer and 0.25 ML in the second bilayer is found to be stable over a wide range of Ga chemical potential. At the Ga bilayer-terminated GaN(0001) surface, corresponding to Ga-rich conditions, configurations where Mg is incorporated in the interface region between the metallic Ga bilayer and the underlying GaN bilayer appear to be favored. At the N-polar surface, Mg is not incorporated under N-rich or moderately Ga-rich conditions, whereas incorporation in the adlayer may take place under Ga-rich conditions. In the presence of light or electron beam induced excitation, energy differences between Mg incorporated at the surface and in deeper layers are reduced so that the tendency toward surface segregation is also reduced.

Temperature dependent growth of GaN nanowires using CVD technique

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kumar, Mukesh, E-mail: mukeshjihrnp@gmail.com; Singh, R.; Kumar, Vikram

2016-05-23

Growth of GaN nanowires have been carried out on sapphire substrates with Au as a catalyst using chemical vapour deposition technique. GaN nanowires growth have been studied with the experimental parameter as growth temperature. Diameter of grown GaN nanowires are in the range of 50 nm to 100 nm while the nanowire length depends on growth temperature. Morphology of the GaN nanowires have been studied by scanning electron microscopy. Crystalline nature has been observed by XRD patterns. Optical properties of grown GaN nanowires have been investigated by photoluminescence spectra.

Synthesis of Nano-Size AlN Powders by Carbothermal Reduction from Plasma-Assisted Ball Milling Precursor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Zhijie; Wang, Wenchun; Yang, Dezheng; Wang, Sen; Dai, Leyang

2016-07-01

Nano-size aluminum nitride (AlN) powders have been successfully synthesized with a high efficiency method through annealing from milling assisted by discharge plasma (p-milling) alumina (Al2O3) precursors. The characterization of the p-milling Al2O3 powders and the synthesized AlN are investigated. Compared to conventional ball milling (c-milling), it can be found that the precursors by p-milling have a finer grain size with a higher specific surface area, which lead to a faster reaction efficiency and higher conversion to AlN at lower temperatures. The activation energy of p-milling Al2O3 is found to be 371.5 kJ/mol, a value that is much less than the reported value of the unmilled and the conventional milled Al2O3. Meanwhile, the synthesized AlN powders have unique features, such as an irregular lamp-like morphology with uniform particle distribution and fine average particle size. The results are attributed to the unique synergistic effect of p-milling, which is the effect of deformation, fracture, and cold welding of Al2O3 powders resulting from ball milling, that will be enhanced due to the introduction of discharge plasma. supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 51177008)

Superconductivity in epitaxial InN thin films with large critical fields

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pal, Buddhadeb; Joshi, Bhanu P.; Chakraborti, Himadri; Jain, Aditya K.; Barick, Barun K.; Ghosh, Kankat; Laha, Apurba; Dhar, Subhabrata; Gupta, Kantimay Das

2018-04-01

We report superconductivity in Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD) and Plasma-Assisted Molecular Beam Epitaxy (PA-MBE) grown epitaxial InN films having carrier density ˜ 1019 - 1020cm-3. The superconducting phase transition starts at temperatures around Tc,onset˜3 K and the resistance goes to zero completely at Tc0 ˜ 1.6 K. The temperature dependence of the critical field HC2(T) does not obey a two fluid Casimir-Gorter (C-G) model rather it is well explained by the 2-D Tinkham model. The extrapolated value of the zero-temperature perpendicular critical field HC2(0) is found to be between 0.25 - 0.9 T, which is ten times greater than that of Indium metal. It may indicate the intrinsic nature of superconductivity in InN films. The angle dependence of critical field is well described by Lawrence-Doniach (L-D) model, which suggest the existence of quasi-2D superconducting layers.

Growth of β-Ga2O3 and GaN nanowires on GaN for photoelectrochemical hydrogen generation.

PubMed

Hwang, Jih-Shang; Liu, Tai-Yan; Chattopadhyay, Surjit; Hsu, Geng-Ming; Basilio, Antonio M; Chen, Han-Wei; Hsu, Yu-Kuei; Tu, Wen-Hsun; Lin, Yan-Gu; Chen, Kuei-Hsien; Li, Chien-Cheng; Wang, Sheng-Bo; Chen, Hsin-Yi; Chen, Li-Chyong

2013-02-08

Enhanced photoelectrochemical (PEC) performances of Ga(2)O(3) and GaN nanowires (NWs) grown in situ from GaN were demonstrated. The PEC conversion efficiencies of Ga(2)O(3) and GaN NWs have been shown to be 0.906% and 1.09% respectively, in contrast to their 0.581% GaN thin film counterpart under similar experimental conditions. A low crystallinity buffer layer between the grown NWs and the substrate was found to be detrimental to the PEC performance, but the layer can be avoided at suitable growth conditions. A band bending at the surface of the GaN NWs generates an electric field that drives the photogenerated electrons and holes away from each other, preventing recombination, and was found to be responsible for the enhanced PEC performance. The enhanced PEC efficiency of the Ga(2)O(3) NWs is aided by the optical absorption through a defect band centered 3.3 eV above the valence band of Ga(2)O(3). These findings are believed to have opened up possibilities for enabling visible absorption, either by tailoring ion doping into wide bandgap Ga(2)O(3) NWs, or by incorporation of indium to form InGaN NWs.

Metalorganic chemical vapor deposition growth of high-mobility AlGaN/AlN/GaN heterostructures on GaN templates and native GaN substrates

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Chen, Jr-Tai, E-mail: jrche@ifm.liu.se; Hsu, Chih-Wei; Forsberg, Urban

2015-02-28

Severe surface decomposition of semi-insulating (SI) GaN templates occurred in high-temperature H{sub 2} atmosphere prior to epitaxial growth in a metalorganic chemical vapor deposition system. A two-step heating process with a surface stabilization technique was developed to preserve the GaN template surface. Utilizing the optimized heating process, a high two-dimensional electron gas mobility ∼2000 cm{sup 2}/V·s was obtained in a thin AlGaN/AlN/GaN heterostructure with an only 100-nm-thick GaN spacer layer homoepitaxially grown on the GaN template. This technique was also demonstrated viable for native GaN substrates to stabilize the surface facilitating two-dimensional growth of GaN layers. Very high residual silicon andmore » oxygen concentrations were found up to ∼1 × 10{sup 20 }cm{sup −3} at the interface between the GaN epilayer and the native GaN substrate. Capacitance-voltage measurements confirmed that the residual carbon doping controlled by growth conditions of the GaN epilayer can be used to successfully compensate the donor-like impurities. State-of-the-art structural properties of a high-mobility AlGaN/AlN/GaN heterostructure was then realized on a 1 × 1 cm{sup 2} SI native GaN substrate; the full width at half maximum of the X-ray rocking curves of the GaN (002) and (102) peaks are only 21 and 14 arc sec, respectively. The surface morphology of the heterostructure shows uniform parallel bilayer steps, and no morphological defects were noticeable over the entire epi-wafer.« less

Effect of sputtering pressure on crystalline quality and residual stress of AlN films deposited at 823 K on nitrided sapphire substrates by pulsed DC reactive sputtering

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ohtsuka, Makoto; Takeuchi, Hiroto; Fukuyama, Hiroyuki

2016-05-01

Aluminum nitride (AlN) is a promising material for use in applications such as deep-ultraviolet light-emitting diodes (UV-LEDs) and surface acoustic wave (SAW) devices. In the present study, the effect of sputtering pressure on the surface morphology, crystalline quality, and residual stress of AlN films deposited at 823 K on nitrided a-plane sapphire substrates, which have high-crystalline-quality c-plane AlN thin layers, by pulsed DC reactive sputtering was investigated. The c-axis-oriented AlN films were homoepitaxially grown on nitrided sapphire substrates at sputtering pressures of 0.4-1.5 Pa. Surface damage of the AlN sputtered films increased with increasing sputtering pressure because of arcing (abnormal electrical discharge) during sputtering. The sputtering pressure affected the crystalline quality and residual stress of AlN sputtered films because of a change in the number and energy of Ar+ ions and Al sputtered atoms. The crystalline quality of AlN films was improved by deposition with lower sputtering pressure.

Alignment control and atomically-scaled heteroepitaxial interface study of GaN nanowires.

PubMed

Liu, Qingyun; Liu, Baodan; Yang, Wenjin; Yang, Bing; Zhang, Xinglai; Labbé, Christophe; Portier, Xavier; An, Vladimir; Jiang, Xin

2017-04-20

Well-aligned GaN nanowires are promising candidates for building high-performance optoelectronic nanodevices. In this work, we demonstrate the epitaxial growth of well-aligned GaN nanowires on a [0001]-oriented sapphire substrate in a simple catalyst-assisted chemical vapor deposition process and their alignment control. It is found that the ammonia flux plays a key role in dominating the initial nucleation of GaN nanocrystals and their orientation. Typically, significant improvement of the GaN nanowire alignment can be realized at a low NH 3 flow rate. X-ray diffraction and cross-sectional scanning electron microscopy studies further verified the preferential orientation of GaN nanowires along the [0001] direction. The growth mechanism of GaN nanowire arrays is also well studied based on cross-sectional high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) characterization and it is observed that GaN nanowires have good epitaxial growth on the sapphire substrate following the crystallographic relationship between (0001) GaN ∥(0001) sapphire and (101[combining macron]0) GaN ∥(112[combining macron]0) sapphire . Most importantly, periodic misfit dislocations are also experimentally observed in the interface region due to the large lattice mismatch between the GaN nanowire and the sapphire substrate, and the formation of such dislocations will favor the release of structural strain in GaN nanowires. HRTEM analysis also finds the existence of "type I" stacking faults and voids inside the GaN nanowires. Optical investigation suggests that the GaN nanowire arrays have strong emission in the UV range, suggesting their crystalline nature and chemical purity. The achievement of aligned GaN nanowires will further promote the wide applications of GaN nanostructures toward diverse high-performance optoelectronic nanodevices including nano-LEDs, photovoltaic cells, photodetectors etc.

Fabrication and structural properties of AlN submicron periodic lateral polar structures and waveguides for UV-C applications

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Alden, D.; Institut für Festkörperphysik, Technische Universität Berlin, Hardenbergstr. 36, 10623 Berlin; Guo, W.

Periodically poled AlN thin films with submicron domain widths were fabricated for nonlinear applications in the UV-VIS region. A procedure utilizing metalorganic chemical vapor deposition growth of AlN in combination with laser interference lithography was developed for making a nanoscale lateral polarity structure (LPS) with domain size down to 600 nm. The Al-polar and N-polar domains were identified by wet etching the periodic LPS in a potassium hydroxide solution and subsequent scanning electron microscopy (SEM) characterization. Fully coalesced and well-defined vertical interfaces between the adjacent domains were established by cross-sectional SEM. AlN LPSs were mechanically polished and surface roughness with amore » root mean square value of ∼10 nm over a 90 μm × 90 μm area was achieved. 3.8 μm wide and 650 nm thick AlN LPS waveguides were fabricated. The achieved domain sizes, surface roughness, and waveguides are suitable for second harmonic generation in the UVC spectrum.« less

III-nitrate ultraviolet photonic materials: epitaxial growth, optical and electrical properties, and applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lin, Jingyu; Jiang, Hongxing

2003-07-01

This paper summarizes some of the recent advances made by our group on the growth, characterization and applications of AlGaN alloys with high Al contents. Recently, our group has achieved highly conductive n-type AlxGa1-xN for x as high as 0.7 (a resistivity value as low as 0.15 ohm-cm has been achieved). Prior to this, only insulating AlxGa1-xN (x > 0.5) can be obtained. Our success is largely attributed to our unique capability for monitoring the optical qualities of these layers -- the development of the world's first (and presently only) deep UV picosecond time-resolved optical spectroscopy system for probing the optical properties of III-nitrides [photoluminescence (PL), electro-luminescence (EL), etc.] with a time-resolution of a few ps and wavelength down to deep UV (down to 195 nm). Our time- resolved PL results have shown that we must fill in the localization states (caused by alloy fluctuation) by doping before conduction could occur. The density of states of localization states is about 1018/cm3 in this system. It was also shown that AlxGa1-xN alloys could be made n-type for x up to 1 (pure AlN). Time-resolved photoluminescence (PL) studies carried out on these materials have revealed that Si-doping reduces the effect of carrier localization in AlxGa1-xN alloys and a sharp drop in carrier localization energy as well as a sharp increase in conductivity occurs when the Si doping concentration increases to above 1 x 1018 cm-3. For the Mg-doped AlxGa1-xN alloys, p-type conduction was achieved for x up to 0.27. The Mg acceptor activation energy as a function of Al content has been deduced. Mg-δ-doping in GaN and AlGaN epilayers has been investigated. We have demonstrated that δ-doping significantly suppresses the dislocation density, enhances the p-type conduction, and reduces the non-radiative recombination centers in GaN and AlGaN. AlN epilayers with high optical qualities have also been grown on sapphire substrates. Very efficient band-edge PL emission

Role of the ganSPQAB Operon in Degradation of Galactan by Bacillus subtilis.

PubMed

Watzlawick, Hildegard; Morabbi Heravi, Kambiz; Altenbuchner, Josef

2016-10-15

Bacillus subtilis possesses different enzymes for the utilization of plant cell wall polysaccharides. This includes a gene cluster containing galactan degradation genes (ganA and ganB), two transporter component genes (ganQ and ganP), and the sugar-binding lipoprotein-encoding gene ganS (previously known as cycB). These genes form an operon that is regulated by GanR. The degradation of galactan by B. subtilis begins with the activity of extracellular GanB. GanB is an endo-β-1,4-galactanase and is a member of glycoside hydrolase (GH) family 53. This enzyme was active on high-molecular-weight arabinose-free galactan and mainly produced galactotetraose as well as galactotriose and galactobiose. These galacto-oligosaccharides may enter the cell via the GanQP transmembrane proteins of the galactan ABC transporter. The specificity of the galactan ABC transporter depends on the sugar-binding lipoprotein, GanS. Purified GanS was shown to bind galactotetraose and galactotriose using thermal shift assay. The energy for this transport is provided by MsmX, an ATP-binding protein. The transported galacto-oligosaccharides are further degraded by GanA. GanA is a β-galactosidase that belongs to GH family 42. The GanA enzyme was able to hydrolyze short-chain β-1,4-galacto-oligosaccharides as well as synthetic β-galactopyranosides into galactose. Thermal shift assay as well as electrophoretic mobility shift assay demonstrated that galactobiose is the inducer of the galactan operon regulated by GanR. DNase I footprinting revealed that the GanR protein binds to an operator overlapping the -35 box of the σ(A)-type promoter of Pgan, which is located upstream of ganS IMPORTANCE: Bacillus subtilis is a Gram-positive soil bacterium that utilizes different types of carbohydrates, such as pectin, as carbon sources. So far, most of the pectin degradation systems and enzymes have been thoroughly studied in B. subtilis Nevertheless, the B. subtilis utilization system of galactan, which is

Acoustic resonator with Al electrodes on an AlN layer and using a GaAs substrate

DOEpatents

Kline, Gerald R.; Lakin, Kenneth M.

1985-12-03

A method of fabricating an acoustic wave resonator wherein all processing steps are accomplished from a single side of said substrate. The method involves deposition of a multi-layered Al/AlN structure on a GaAs substrate followed by a series of fabrication steps to define a resonator from said composite. The resulting resonator comprises an AlN layer between two Al layers and another layer of AlN on an exterior of one of said Al layers.

The Children's Inn at NIH Anniversary Key Messages | NIH MedlinePlus the Magazine

MedlinePlus

... Past Issues / Summer 2014 Table of Contents Anniversary Key Messages Playground and Park at The Children's Inn ... and commitment, and the merging of public and private resources. Merck generously donated $3.7 million for ...

Progress in efficient doping of high aluminum-containing group III-nitrides

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liang, Y.-H.; Towe, E.

2018-03-01

The group III-nitride (InN, GaN, and AlN) class of semiconductors has become one of two that are critical to a number of technologies in modern life—the other being silicon. Light-emitting diodes made from (In,Ga)N, for example, dominate recent innovations in general illumination and signaling. Even though the (In,Ga)N materials system is fairly well established and widely used in advanced devices, challenges continue to impede development of devices that include aluminum-containing nitride films such as (Al,Ga)N. The main difficulty is efficient doping of films with aluminum-rich compositions; the problem is particularly severe for p-type doping, which is essential for Ohmic contacts to bipolar device structures. This review briefly summarizes the fundamental issues related to p-type doping, and then discusses a number of approaches that are being pursued to resolve the doping problem or for circumventing the need for p-type doping. Finally, we discuss an approach to doping under liquid-metal-enabled growth by molecular beam epitaxy. Recent results from a number of groups appear to indicate that p-type doping of nitride films under liquid-metal-enabled growth conditions might offer a solution to the doping problem—at least for materials grown by molecular beam epitaxy.

Low-temperature atomic layer epitaxy of AlN ultrathin films by layer-by-layer, in-situ atomic layer annealing.

PubMed

Shih, Huan-Yu; Lee, Wei-Hao; Kao, Wei-Chung; Chuang, Yung-Chuan; Lin, Ray-Ming; Lin, Hsin-Chih; Shiojiri, Makoto; Chen, Miin-Jang

2017-01-03

Low-temperature epitaxial growth of AlN ultrathin films was realized by atomic layer deposition (ALD) together with the layer-by-layer, in-situ atomic layer annealing (ALA), instead of a high growth temperature which is needed in conventional epitaxial growth techniques. By applying the ALA with the Ar plasma treatment in each ALD cycle, the AlN thin film was converted dramatically from the amorphous phase to a single-crystalline epitaxial layer, at a low deposition temperature of 300 °C. The energy transferred from plasma not only provides the crystallization energy but also enhances the migration of adatoms and the removal of ligands, which significantly improve the crystallinity of the epitaxial layer. The X-ray diffraction reveals that the full width at half-maximum of the AlN (0002) rocking curve is only 144 arcsec in the AlN ultrathin epilayer with a thickness of only a few tens of nm. The high-resolution transmission electron microscopy also indicates the high-quality single-crystal hexagonal phase of the AlN epitaxial layer on the sapphire substrate. The result opens a window for further extension of the ALD applications from amorphous thin films to the high-quality low-temperature atomic layer epitaxy, which can be exploited in a variety of fields and applications in the near future.

Low-temperature atomic layer epitaxy of AlN ultrathin films by layer-by-layer, in-situ atomic layer annealing

PubMed Central

Shih, Huan-Yu; Lee, Wei-Hao; Kao, Wei-Chung; Chuang, Yung-Chuan; Lin, Ray-Ming; Lin, Hsin-Chih; Shiojiri, Makoto; Chen, Miin-Jang

2017-01-01

Low-temperature epitaxial growth of AlN ultrathin films was realized by atomic layer deposition (ALD) together with the layer-by-layer, in-situ atomic layer annealing (ALA), instead of a high growth temperature which is needed in conventional epitaxial growth techniques. By applying the ALA with the Ar plasma treatment in each ALD cycle, the AlN thin film was converted dramatically from the amorphous phase to a single-crystalline epitaxial layer, at a low deposition temperature of 300 °C. The energy transferred from plasma not only provides the crystallization energy but also enhances the migration of adatoms and the removal of ligands, which significantly improve the crystallinity of the epitaxial layer. The X-ray diffraction reveals that the full width at half-maximum of the AlN (0002) rocking curve is only 144 arcsec in the AlN ultrathin epilayer with a thickness of only a few tens of nm. The high-resolution transmission electron microscopy also indicates the high-quality single-crystal hexagonal phase of the AlN epitaxial layer on the sapphire substrate. The result opens a window for further extension of the ALD applications from amorphous thin films to the high-quality low-temperature atomic layer epitaxy, which can be exploited in a variety of fields and applications in the near future. PMID:28045075

X-ray diffraction study of A- plane non-polar InN epilayer grown by MOCVD

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moret, Matthieu; Briot, Olivier; Gil, Bernard

2015-03-01

Strong polarisation-induced electric fields in C-plane oriented nitrides semiconductor layers reduce the performance of devices. Eliminating the polarization fields can be achieved by growing nitrides along non polar direction. We have grown non polar A-plane oriented InN on R-plane (1‾102) nitridated sapphire substrate by MOCVD. We have studied the structural anisotropy observed in these layers by analyzing High Resolution XRay Diffraction rocking curve (RC) experiments as a function of the in-plane beam orientation. A-plane InN epilayer have a unique epitaxial relationship on R-Plane sapphire and show a strong structural anisotropy. Full width at half maximum (FWHM) of the InN(11‾20) XRD RC values are contained between 44 and 81 Arcmin. FWHM is smaller when the diffraction occurs along the [0001] and the largest FWHM values, of the (11‾20) RC, are obtained when the diffraction occurs along the [1‾100] in-plane direction. Atomic Force Microscopy imaging revealed morphologies with well organized crystallites. The grains are structured along a unique crystallographic orientation of InN, leading to larger domains in this direction. This structural anisotropy can be, in first approximation, attributed to the difference in the domain sizes observed. XRD reciprocal space mappings (RSM) were performed in asymmetrical configuration on (13‾40) and (2‾202) diffraction plane. RSM are measured with a beam orientation corresponding to a maximal and a minimal width of the (11‾20) Rocking curves, respectively. A simple theoretical model is exposed to interpret the RSM. We concluded that the dominant contribution to the anisotropy is due to the scattering coherence length anisotropy present in our samples.

A Sub-ppm Acetone Gas Sensor for Diabetes Detection Using 10 nm Thick Ultrathin InN FETs

PubMed Central

Kao, Kun-Wei; Hsu, Ming-Che; Chang, Yuh-Hwa; Gwo, Shangjr; Yeh, J. Andrew

2012-01-01

An indium nitride (InN) gas sensor of 10 nm in thickness has achieved detection limit of 0.4 ppm acetone. The sensor has a size of 1 mm by 2.5 mm, while its sensing area is 0.25 mm by 2 mm. Detection of such a low acetone concentration in exhaled breath could enable early diagnosis of diabetes for portable physiological applications. The ultrathin InN epilayer extensively enhances sensing sensitivity due to its strong electron accumulation on roughly 5–10 nm deep layers from the surface. Platinum as catalyst can increase output current signals by 2.5-fold (94 vs. 37.5 μA) as well as reduce response time by 8.4-fold (150 vs. 1,260 s) in comparison with bare InN. More, the effect of 3% oxygen consumption due to breath inhalation and exhalation on 2.4 ppm acetone gas detection was investigated, indicating that such an acetone concentration can be analyzed in air. PMID:22969342

Zn-dopant dependent defect evolution in GaN nanowires

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Bing; Liu, Baodan; Wang, Yujia; Zhuang, Hao; Liu, Qingyun; Yuan, Fang; Jiang, Xin

2015-10-01

Zn doped GaN nanowires with different doping levels (0, <1 at%, and 3-5 at%) have been synthesized through a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) process. The effect of Zn doping on the defect evolution, including stacking fault, dislocation, twin boundary and phase boundary, has been systematically investigated by transmission electron microscopy and first-principles calculations. Undoped GaN nanowires show a hexagonal wurtzite (WZ) structure with good crystallinity. Several kinds of twin boundaries, including (101&cmb.macr;3), (101&cmb.macr;1) and (202&cmb.macr;1), as well as Type I stacking faults (...ABABC&cmb.b.line;BCB...), are observed in the nanowires. The increasing Zn doping level (<1 at%) induces the formation of screw dislocations featuring a predominant screw component along the radial direction of the GaN nanowires. At high Zn doping level (3-5 at%), meta-stable cubic zinc blende (ZB) domains are generated in the WZ GaN nanowires. The WZ/ZB phase boundary (...ABABAC&cmb.b.line;BA...) can be identified as Type II stacking faults. The density of stacking faults (both Type I and Type II) increases with increasing the Zn doping levels, which in turn leads to a rough-surface morphology in the GaN nanowires. First-principles calculations reveal that Zn doping will reduce the formation energy of both Type I and Type II stacking faults, favoring their nucleation in GaN nanowires. An understanding of the effect of Zn doping on the defect evolution provides an important method to control the microstructure and the electrical properties of p-type GaN nanowires.Zn doped GaN nanowires with different doping levels (0, <1 at%, and 3-5 at%) have been synthesized through a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) process. The effect of Zn doping on the defect evolution, including stacking fault, dislocation, twin boundary and phase boundary, has been systematically investigated by transmission electron microscopy and first-principles calculations. Undoped GaN nanowires show a

Influence of AlN(0001) Surface Reconstructions on the Wettability of an Al/AlN System: A First-Principle Study.

PubMed

Cao, Junhua; Liu, Yang; Ning, Xiao-Shan

2018-05-11

A successful application of a hot dip coating process that coats aluminum (Al) on aluminum nitride (AlN) ceramics, revealed that Al had a perfect wettability to the ceramics under specific circumstances, which was different from previous reports. In order to elucidate the mechanism that controlled the supernormal wetting phenomenon during the dip coating, a first-principle calculation of an Al(111)/AlN(0001) interface, based on the density functional theory (DFT), was employed. The wettability of the Al melt on the AlN(0001) surface, as well as the effect that the surface reconstruction of AlN and the oxygen adsorption had on Al for the adhesion and the wettability of the Al/AlN system, were studied. The results revealed that a LCM (laterally contracted monolayer) reconstruction could improve the adhesion and wettability of the system. Oxygen adsorption on the free surface of Al decreased the contact angle, because the adsorption reduced of the surface tension of Al. A prefect wetting was obtained only after some of the oxygen atoms adsorbed on the free surface of Al. The supernormal wetting phenomenon came from the surface reconstruction of the AlN and the adsorption of oxygen atoms on the Al melt surface.

Conservation of the Sinclair Inn Museum, and the Painted Room Annapolis Royal, Nova Scotia, Canada

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shaftel, A.; Ward, J.

2017-08-01

Conservation of the historic 18thC. Sinclair Inn Museum, and of the recently discovered late 18th/early 19thC. unique panoramic wall paintings located in an upstairs room, are co-dependent. This project was carried out with Canadian Conservation Institute (CCI) staff, and Conservator in Private Practice Ann Shaftel. This paper will introduce the Sinclair Inn Museum, outline the CCI murals and building investigations of 2011-15, the mural investigation of 2015-16, which confirmed that the mural extended to all four walls of the function room, now referred to as the Painted Room, and to describe how it has been revealed and conserved to date.

Understanding the role of Si doping on surface charge and optical properties: Photoluminescence study of intrinsic and Si-doped InN nanowires

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhao, S.; Mi, Z.; Kibria, M. G.; Li, Q.; Wang, G. T.

2012-06-01

In the present work, the photoluminescence (PL) characteristics of intrinsic and Si-doped InN nanowires are studied in detail. For intrinsic InN nanowires, the emission is due to band-to-band carrier recombination with the peak energy at ˜0.64 eV (at 300 K) and may involve free-exciton emission at low temperatures. The PL spectra exhibit a strong dependence on optical excitation power and temperature, which can be well characterized by the presence of very low residual electron density and the absence or a negligible level of surface electron accumulation. In comparison, the emission of Si-doped InN nanowires is characterized by the presence of two distinct peaks located at ˜0.65 and ˜0.73-0.75 eV (at 300 K). Detailed studies further suggest that these low-energy and high-energy peaks can be ascribed to band-to-band carrier recombination in the relatively low-doped nanowire bulk region and Mahan exciton emission in the high-doped nanowire near-surface region, respectively; this is a natural consequence of dopant surface segregation. The resulting surface electron accumulation and Fermi-level pinning, due to the enhanced surface doping, are confirmed by angle-resolved x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy measurements on Si-doped InN nanowires, which is in direct contrast to the absence or a negligible level of surface electron accumulation in intrinsic InN nanowires. This work elucidates the role of charge-carrier concentration and distribution on the optical properties of InN nanowires.

Early and Late Retrieval of the ALN Removable Vena Cava Filter: Results from a Multicenter Study

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Pellerin, O., E-mail: olivier.pellerin@egp.aphp.f; Barral, F. G.; Lions, C.

Retrieval of removable inferior vena cava (IVC) filters in selected patients is widely practiced. The purpose of this multicenter study was to evaluate the feasibility and results of percutaneous removal of the ALN removable filter in a large patient cohort. Between November 2003 and June 2006, 123 consecutive patients were referred for percutaneous extraction of the ALN filter at three centers. The ALN filter is a removable filter that can be implanted through a femoral/jugular vein approach and extracted by the jugular vein approach. Filter removal was attempted after an implantation period of 93 {+-} 15 days (range, 6-722 days)more » through the right internal jugular vein approach using the dedicated extraction kit after control inferior vena cavography. Following filter removal, vena cavograms were obtained in all patients. Successful extraction was achieved in all but one case. Among these successful retrievals, additional manipulation using a femoral approach was needed when the apex of the filter was close to the IVC wall in two patients. No immediate IVC complications were observed according to the postimplantation cavography. Neither technical nor clinical differences between early and late filter retrieval were noticed. Our data confirm the safety of ALN filter retrieval up to 722 days after implantation. In infrequent cases, additional endovenous filter manipulation is needed to facilitate extraction.« less

GaN and ZnO nanostructures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fündling, Sönke; Sökmen, Ünsal; Behrends, Arne; Al-Suleiman, Mohamed Aid Mansur; Merzsch, Stephan; Li, Shunfeng; Bakin, Andrey; Wehmann, Hergo-Heinrich; Waag, Andreas; Lähnemann, Jonas; Jahn, Uwe; Trampert, Achim; Riechert, Henning

2010-07-01

GaN and ZnO are both wide band gap semiconductors with interesting properties concerning optoelectronic and sensor device applications. Due to the lack or the high costs of native substrates, alternatives like sapphire, silicon, or silicon carbide are taken, but the resulting lattice and thermal mismatches lead to increased defect densities which reduce the material quality. In contrast, nanostructures with high aspect ratio have lower defect densities as compared to layers. In this work, we give an overview on our results achieved on both ZnO as well as GaN based nanorods. ZnO nanostructures were grown by a wet chemical approach as well as by VPT on different substrates - even on flexible polymers. To compare the growth results we analyzed the structures by XRD and PL and show possible device applications. The GaN nano- and microstructures were grown by metal organic vapor phase epitaxy either in a self- organized process or by selective area growth for a better control of shape and material composition. Finally we take a look onto possible device applications, presenting our attempts, e.g., to build LEDs based on GaN nanostructures.

Optical design of GaN nanowire arrays for photocatalytic applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Winnerl, Julia; Hudeczek, Richard; Stutzmann, Martin

2018-05-01

GaN nanowire (NW) arrays are interesting candidates for photocatalytic applications due to their high surface-to-volume ratio and their waveguide character. The integration of GaN NW arrays on GaN-based light emitting diodes (LEDs), serving as a platform for electrically driven NW-based photocatalytic devices, enables an efficient coupling of the light from the planar LED to the GaN NWs. Here, we present a numerical study of the influence of the NW geometries, i.e., the NW diameter, length, and period, and the illumination wavelength on the transmission of GaN NW arrays on transparent substrates. A detailed numerical analysis reveals that the transmission characteristics for large periods are determined by the waveguide character of the single NW, whereas for dense GaN NW arrays inter-wire coupling and diffraction effects originating from the periodic arrangement of the GaN NWs dominate the transmission. The numerically simulated results are confirmed by experimental transmission measurements. We also investigate the influence of a dielectric NW shell and of the surrounding medium on the transmission characteristics of a GaN NW array.

Defect identification in semiconductors with positron annihilation: experiment and theory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tuomisto, Filip

2015-03-01

Positron annihilation spectroscopy is a very powerful technique for the detection, identification and quantification of vacancy-type defects in semiconductors. In the past decades, it has been used to reveal the relationship between opto-electronic properties and specific defects in a wide variety of materials - examples include parasitic yellow luminescence in GaN, dominant acceptor defects in ZnO and broad-band absorption causing brown coloration in natural diamond. In typical binary compound semiconductors, the selective sensitivity of the technique is rather strongly limited to cation vacancies that possess significant open volume and suitable charge (negative of neutral). On the other hand, oxygen vacancies in oxide semiconductors are a widely debated topic. The properties attributed to oxygen vacancies include the inherent n-type conduction, poor p-type dopability, coloration (absorption), deep level luminescence and non-radiative recombination, while the only direct experimental evidence of their existence has been obtained on the crystal surface. We will present recent advances in combining state-of-the-art positron annihilation experiments and ab initio computational approaches. The latter can be used to model both the positron lifetime and the electron-positron momentum distribution - quantities that can be directly compared with experimental results. We have applied these methods to study vacancy-type defects in III-nitride semiconductors (GaN, AlN, InN) and oxides such as ZnO, SnO2, In2O3andGa2O3. We will show that cation-vacancy-related defects are important compensating centers in all these materials when they are n-type. In addition, we will show that anion (N, O) vacancies can be detected when they appear as complexes with cation vacancies.

Fabrication and characterization of GaN nanowire doubly clamped resonators

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Maliakkal, Carina B., E-mail: carina@tifr.res.in; Mathew, John P.; Hatui, Nirupam

2015-09-21

Gallium nitride (GaN) nanowires (NWs) have been intensely researched as building blocks for nanoscale electronic and photonic device applications; however, the mechanical properties of GaN nanostructures have not been explored in detail. The rigidity, thermal stability, and piezoelectric properties of GaN make it an interesting candidate for nano-electromechanical systems. We have fabricated doubly clamped GaN NW electromechanical resonators on sapphire using electron beam lithography and estimated the Young's modulus of GaN from resonance frequency measurements. For wires of triangular cross section with side ∼90 nm, we obtained values for the Young's modulus to be about 218 and 691 GPa, which are ofmore » the same order of magnitude as the values reported for bulk GaN. We also discuss the role of residual strain in the nanowire on the resonant frequency and the orientation dependence of the Young's modulus in wurtzite crystals.« less

GaN grown on nano-patterned sapphire substrates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jing, Kong; Meixin, Feng; Jin, Cai; Hui, Wang; Huaibing, Wang; Hui, Yang

2015-04-01

High-quality gallium nitride (GaN) film was grown on nano-patterned sapphire substrates (NPSS) and investigated using XRD and SEM. It was found that the optimum thickness of the GaN buffer layer on the NPSS is 15 nm, which is thinner than that on micro-patterned sapphire substrates (MPSS). An interesting phenomenon was observed for GaN film grown on NPSS:GaN mainly grows on the trench regions and little grows on the sidewalls of the patterns at the initial growth stage, which is dramatically different from GaN grown on MPSS. In addition, the electrical and optical properties of LEDs grown on NPSS were characterized. Project supported by the Suzhou Nanojoin Photonics Co., Ltd and the High-Tech Achievements Transformation of Jiangsu Province, China (No.BA2012010).

Golf Tournament Drives in a Win for the Children’s Inn | Poster

Cancer.gov

By Carolynne Keenan, Contributing Writer On September 23, golfers took to the Clustered Spires golf course in Frederick, Md., for a cause. The R&W Club Frederick hosted its inaugural golf tournament, with proceeds benefiting the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Children’s Inn.

Viability and proliferation of endothelial cells upon exposure to GaN nanoparticles

PubMed Central

Braniste, Tudor; Tiginyanu, Ion; Horvath, Tibor; Raevschi, Simion; Cebotari, Serghei; Lux, Marco; Haverich, Axel

2016-01-01

Summary Nanotechnology is a rapidly growing and promising field of interest in medicine; however, nanoparticle–cell interactions are not yet fully understood. The goal of this work was to examine the interaction between endothelial cells and gallium nitride (GaN) semiconductor nanoparticles. Cellular viability, adhesion, proliferation, and uptake of nanoparticles by endothelial cells were investigated. The effect of free GaN nanoparticles versus the effect of growing endothelial cells on GaN functionalized surfaces was examined. To functionalize surfaces with GaN, GaN nanoparticles were synthesized on a sacrificial layer of zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles using hydride vapor phase epitaxy. The uptake of GaN nanoparticles by porcine endothelial cells was strongly dependent upon whether they were fixed to the substrate surface or free floating in the medium. The endothelial cells grown on surfaces functionalized with GaN nanoparticles demonstrated excellent adhesion and proliferation, suggesting good biocompatibility of the nanostructured GaN. PMID:27826507

Viability and proliferation of endothelial cells upon exposure to GaN nanoparticles.

PubMed

Braniste, Tudor; Tiginyanu, Ion; Horvath, Tibor; Raevschi, Simion; Cebotari, Serghei; Lux, Marco; Haverich, Axel; Hilfiker, Andres

2016-01-01

Nanotechnology is a rapidly growing and promising field of interest in medicine; however, nanoparticle-cell interactions are not yet fully understood. The goal of this work was to examine the interaction between endothelial cells and gallium nitride (GaN) semiconductor nanoparticles. Cellular viability, adhesion, proliferation, and uptake of nanoparticles by endothelial cells were investigated. The effect of free GaN nanoparticles versus the effect of growing endothelial cells on GaN functionalized surfaces was examined. To functionalize surfaces with GaN, GaN nanoparticles were synthesized on a sacrificial layer of zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles using hydride vapor phase epitaxy. The uptake of GaN nanoparticles by porcine endothelial cells was strongly dependent upon whether they were fixed to the substrate surface or free floating in the medium. The endothelial cells grown on surfaces functionalized with GaN nanoparticles demonstrated excellent adhesion and proliferation, suggesting good biocompatibility of the nanostructured GaN.

Optical properties of Mg doped p-type GaN nanowires

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Patsha, Avinash; Pandian, Ramanathaswamy; Dhara, S.; Tyagi, A. K.

2015-06-01

Mg doped p-type GaN nanowires are grown using chemical vapor deposition technique in vapor-liquid-solid (VLS) process. Morphological and structural studies confirm the VLS growth process of nanowires and wurtzite phase of GaN. We report the optical properties of Mg doped p-type GaN nanowires. Low temperature photoluminescence studies on as-grown and post-growth annealed samples reveal the successful incorporation of Mg dopants. The as-grwon and annealed samples show passivation and activation of Mg dopants, respectively, in GaN nanowires.

Emerging methanol-tolerant AlN nanowire oxygen reduction electrocatalyst for alkaline direct methanol fuel cell.

PubMed

Lei, M; Wang, J; Li, J R; Wang, Y G; Tang, H L; Wang, W J

2014-08-11

Replacing precious and nondurable Pt catalysts with cheap materials is a key issue for commercialization of fuel cells. In the case of oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) catalysts for direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC), the methanol tolerance is also an important concern. Here, we develop AlN nanowires with diameters of about 100-150 nm and the length up to 1 mm through crystal growth method. We find it is electrochemically stable in methanol-contained alkaline electrolyte. This novel material exhibits pronounced electrocatalytic activity with exchange current density of about 6.52 × 10(-8) A/cm(2). The single cell assembled with AlN nanowire cathodic electrode achieves a power density of 18.9 mW cm(-2). After being maintained at 100 mA cm(-2) for 48 h, the AlN nanowire-based single cell keeps 92.1% of the initial performance, which is in comparison with 54.5% for that assembled with Pt/C cathode. This discovery reveals a new type of metal nitride ORR catalyst that can be cheaply produced from crystal growth method.

Mechanically controlling the reversible phase transformation from zinc blende to wurtzite in AlN

DOE PAGES

Li, Zhen; Yadav, Satyesh; Chen, Youxing; ...

2017-04-10

III–V and other binary octet semiconductors often take two phase forms—wurtzite (wz) and zinc blende (zb) crystal structures—with distinct functional performance at room temperature. Here, we investigate how to control the synthesized phase structure to either wz or zb phase by tuning the interfacial strain by taking AlN as a representative III–V compound. Furthermore, by applying in situ mechanical tests at atomic scale in a transmission electron microscope, we observed the reversible phase transformation from zb to wz, and characterized the transition path—the collective glide of Shockley partials on every two {111} planes of the zb AlN.

Characterizations of GaN film growth by ECR plasma chemical vapor deposition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fu, Silie; Chen, Junfang; Zhang, Hongbin; Guo, Chaofen; Li, Wei; Zhao, Wenfen

2009-06-01

The electron cyclotron resonance plasma-enhanced metalorganic chemical vapor deposition technology (ECR-MOPECVD) is adopted to grow GaN films on (0 0 0 1) α-Al2O3 substrate. The gas sources are pure N2 and trimethylgallium (TMG). Optical emission spectroscopy (OES) and thermodynamic analysis of GaN growth are applied to understand the GaN growth process. The OES of ECR plasma shows that TMG is significantly dissociated in ECR plasma. Reactants N and Ga in the plasma, obtained easily under the self-heating condition, are essential for the GaN growth. They contribute to the realization of GaN film growth at a relatively low temperature. The thermodynamic study shows that the driving force for the GaN growth is high when N2:TMG>1. Furthermore, higher N2:TMG flow ratio makes the GaN growth easier. Finally, X-ray diffraction, photoluminescence, and atomic force microscope are applied to investigate crystal quality, morphology, and roughness of the GaN films. The results demonstrate that the ECR-MOPECVD technology is favorable for depositing GaN films at low temperatures.

Structural defects in GaN revealed by Transmission Electron Microscopy

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Liliental-Weber, Zuzanna

This paper reviews the various types of structural defects observed by Transmission Electron Microscopy in GaN heteroepitaxial layers grown on foreign substrates and homoepitaxial layers grown on bulk GaN substrates. The structural perfection of these layers is compared to the platelet self-standing crystals grown by High Nitrogen Pressure Solution. Defects in undoped and Mg doped GaN are discussed. Lastly, some models explaining the formation of inversion domains in heavily Mg doped layers that are possible defects responsible for the difficulties of p-doping in GaN are also reviewed.

Structural defects in GaN revealed by Transmission Electron Microscopy

DOE PAGES

Liliental-Weber, Zuzanna

2014-09-08

This paper reviews the various types of structural defects observed by Transmission Electron Microscopy in GaN heteroepitaxial layers grown on foreign substrates and homoepitaxial layers grown on bulk GaN substrates. The structural perfection of these layers is compared to the platelet self-standing crystals grown by High Nitrogen Pressure Solution. Defects in undoped and Mg doped GaN are discussed. Lastly, some models explaining the formation of inversion domains in heavily Mg doped layers that are possible defects responsible for the difficulties of p-doping in GaN are also reviewed.

Low-Temperature Sintering of AlN Ceramics by Sm2O3-Y2O3-CaO Sintering Additives Formed via Decomposition of Nitrate Solutions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhan, Jun; Cao, Ye; Zhang, Hao; Guo, Jun; Zhang, Jianhua; Geng, Chunlei; Shi, Changdong; Cui, Song; Tang, Wenming

2017-01-01

The Sm, Y and Ca anhydrous nitrates were mixed with the AlN powder in ethanol and then decomposed into the Sm2O3-Y2O3-CaO sintering additives via calcining. Low-temperature sintering of the AlN ceramics was carried out at temperature range from 1675 to 1750 °C. Effects of the composition and adding amount of the sintering additives on the phases, microstructures and properties of the AlN ceramics were investigated. During sintering the AlN ceramics, main secondary phases of CaYAl3O7 and CaSmAl3O7 form. The relative density, bending strength and thermal conductivity of the AlN ceramics increase with the increase in the rare-earth oxides in them. The thermal conductivity of the sintered AlN ceramics is also greatly affected by the distribution of the secondary phases. As sintered at 1750 °C, the AlN ceramics by adding the sintering additives of 2 wt.% Sm2O3, 2 wt.% Y2O3 and 1 wt.% CaO formed via decomposition of their nitrates is fully dense and have the optimal bending strength and thermal conductivity of 402.1 MPa and 153.7 W/(m K), respectively.

The management of stress in MOCVD-grown InGaN/GaN LED multilayer structures on Si(1 1 1) substrates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jiang, Quanzhong; Allsopp, Duncan W. E.; Bowen, Chris R.; Wang, Wang N.

2013-09-01

The tensile stress in light-emitting diode (LED)-on-Si(1 1 1) multilayer structures must be reduced so that it does not compromise the multiple quantum well emission wavelength uniformity and structural stability. In this paper it is shown for non-optimized LED structures grown on Si(1 1 1) substrates that both emission wavelength uniformity and structural stability can be achieved within the same growth process. In order to gain a deeper understanding of the stress distribution within such a structure, cross-sectional Raman and photo-luminescence spectroscopy techniques were developed. It is observed that for a Si:GaN layer grown on a low-temperature (LT) AlN intermediate layer there is a decrease in compressive stress with increasing Si:GaN layer thickness during MOCVD growth which leads to a high level of tensile stress in the upper part of the layer. This may lead to the development of cracks during cooling to room temperature. Such a phenomenon may be associated with annihilation of defects such as dislocations. Therefore, a reduction of dislocation intensity should take place at the early stage of GaN growth on an AlN or AlGaN layer in order to reduce a build up of tensile stress with thickness. Furthermore, it is also shown that a prolonged three dimensional GaN island growth on a LT AlN interlayer for the reduction of dislocations may result in a reduction in the compressive stress in the resulting GaN layer.

Growth of GaN micro/nanolaser arrays by chemical vapor deposition.

PubMed

Liu, Haitao; Zhang, Hanlu; Dong, Lin; Zhang, Yingjiu; Pan, Caofeng

2016-09-02

Optically pumped ultraviolet lasing at room temperature based on GaN microwire arrays with Fabry-Perot cavities is demonstrated. GaN microwires have been grown perpendicularly on c-GaN/sapphire substrates through simple catalyst-free chemical vapor deposition. The GaN microwires are [0001] oriented single-crystal structures with hexagonal cross sections, each with a diameter of ∼1 μm and a length of ∼15 μm. A possible growth mechanism of the vertical GaN microwire arrays is proposed. Furthermore, we report room-temperature lasing in optically pumped GaN microwire arrays based on the Fabry-Perot cavity. Photoluminescence spectra exhibit lasing typically at 372 nm with an excitation threshold of 410 kW cm(-2). The result indicates that these aligned GaN microwire arrays may offer promising prospects for ultraviolet-emitting micro/nanodevices.

A Dance Class, a Drag King, & the Pedagogical Possibilities of Performative Hip-Hop: An Interview with Carmen Morrison & Alex U. Inn

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schönfeldt-Aultman, Scott M.; Morrison, Carmen

2015-01-01

Alex U. Inn is the co-founder and one of the two MCs of the hip-hop drag king group, Momma's Boyz. Momma's Boyz celebrated their tenth anniversary in 2014. Carmen Morrison is the offstage name of Alex U. Inn, though "Carmen" now goes by Alex offstage, as well. Within this interview, the names "Carmen" and "Alex" are…

Effect of photocatalytic oxidation technology on GaN CMP

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Jie; Wang, Tongqing; Pan, Guoshun; Lu, Xinchun

2016-01-01

GaN is so hard and so chemically inert that it is difficult to obtain a high material removal rate (MRR) in the chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) process. This paper discusses the application of photocatalytic oxidation technology in GaN planarization. Three N-type semiconductor particles (TiO2, SnO2, and Fe2O3) are used as catalysts and added to the H2O2-SiO2-based slurry. By optical excitation, highly reactive photoinduced holes are produced on the surface of the particles, which can oxidize OH- and H2O absorbed on the surface of the catalysts; therefore, more OH* will be generated. As a result, GaN MRRs in an H2O2-SiO2-based polishing system combined with catalysts are improved significantly, especially when using TiO2, the MRR of which is 122 nm/h. The X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analysis shows the variation trend of chemical composition on the GaN surface after polishing, revealing the planarization process. Besides, the effect of pH on photocatalytic oxidation combined with TiO2 is analyzed deeply. Furthermore, the physical model of GaN CMP combined with photocatalytic oxidation technology is proposed to describe the removal mechanism of GaN.

High-quality III-nitride films on conductive, transparent (2̅01)-oriented β-Ga2O3 using a GaN buffer layer

PubMed Central

Muhammed, M. M.; Roldan, M. A.; Yamashita, Y.; Sahonta, S.-L.; Ajia, I. A.; Iizuka, K.; Kuramata, A.; Humphreys, C. J.; Roqan, I. S.

2016-01-01

We demonstrate the high structural and optical properties of InxGa1−xN epilayers (0 ≤ x ≤ 23) grown on conductive and transparent (01)-oriented β-Ga2O3 substrates using a low-temperature GaN buffer layer rather than AlN buffer layer, which enhances the quality and stability of the crystals compared to those grown on (100)-oriented β-Ga2O3. Raman maps show that the 2″ wafer is relaxed and uniform. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) reveals that the dislocation density reduces considerably (~4.8 × 107 cm−2) at the grain centers. High-resolution TEM analysis demonstrates that most dislocations emerge at an angle with respect to the c-axis, whereas dislocations of the opposite phase form a loop and annihilate each other. The dislocation behavior is due to irregular (01) β-Ga2O3 surface at the interface and distorted buffer layer, followed by relaxed GaN epilayer. Photoluminescence results confirm high optical quality and time-resolved spectroscopy shows that the recombination is governed by bound excitons. We find that a low root-mean-square average (≤1.5 nm) of InxGa1−xN epilayers can be achieved with high optical quality of InxGa1−xN epilayers. We reveal that (01)-oriented β-Ga2O3 substrate has a strong potential for use in large-scale high-quality vertical light emitting device design. PMID:27412372

Use of hydrogen etching to remove existing dislocations in GaN epitaxial layers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yeh, Yen-Hsien; Chu, Chung-Ming; Wu, Yin-Hao; Hsu, Ying-Chia; Yu, Tzu-Yi; Lee, Wei-I.

2015-08-01

In this paper, based on the anisotropic nature of hydrogen (H2) etching on GaN, we describe a new approach to the removal of threading dislocations in GaN layers. The top surfaces of c-plane (Ga-face) and a-plane GaNs are considered stable in H2; therefore, H2 etches only crystal imperfections such as dislocation and basal plane stacking fault (BSF) sites. We used H2 to etch undoped c-plane GaN, n-type c-plane GaN, a-plane GaN, and an InGaN/GaN multiple quantum well structure. Several examinations were performed, indicating deep cavities on the c-plane GaN samples after H2 etching; furthermore, gorge-like grooves were observed on the a-plane GaN samples. The deep cavities on the c-plane GaN were considered the etched dislocation sites, and the gorge-like grooves on the a-plane GaN were considered the etched BSF sites. Photoluminescence measurements were performed and the results indicated that the H2-etched samples demonstrate superior optoelectronic properties, probably because of the elimination of dislocations.

Quantum chemical study of small AlnBm clusters: Structure and physical properties

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Loukhovitski, Boris I.; Sharipov, Alexander S.; Starik, Alexander M.

2017-08-01

The structure and physical properties, including rotational constants, characteristic vibrational temperatures, collision diameter, dipole moment, static polarizability, the energy gap between the highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO) and the lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (LUMO), and formation enthalpy of the different isomeric forms of AlnBm clusters with n + m ⩽ 7 are studied using density functional theory. The search of the structure of isomers has been carried employing multistep hierarchical algorithm. Temperature dependencies of thermodynamic functions, such as enthalpy, entropy, and specific heat capacity, have been determined both for the individual isomers and for the ensembles with equilibrium and frozen compositions for the each class of clusters taking into account the anharmonicity of cluster vibrations and the contribution of their excited electronic states. The prospects of the application of small AlnBm clusters as the components of energetic materials are also considered.

Fabrication and characterization of AlN metal-insulator-semiconductor grown Si substrate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mahyuddin, A.; Azrina, A.; Mohd Yusoff, M. Z.; Hassan, Z.

2017-11-01

An experimental investigation was conducted to explore the effect of inserting a single AlGaN interlayer between AlN epilayer and GaN/AlN heterostructures on Si (111) grown by molecular beam epitaxy (MBE). It is confirmed from the scanning electron microscopy (SEM) that the AlGaN interlayer has a remarkable effect on reducing the tensile stress and dislocation density in AlN top layer. Capacitance-voltage (C-V) measurements were conducted to study the electrical properties of AlN/GaN heterostructures. While deriving the findings through the calculation it is suggested that the AlGaN interlayer can significantly reduce the value of effective oxide charge density and total effective number of charges per unit area which are 1.37 × 10-6C/cm2 and 8.55 × 1012cm-2, respectively.

Control of Defects in Aluminum Gallium Nitride ((Al)GaN) Films on Grown Aluminum Nitride (AlN) Substrates

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-02-01

Nord, J.; Albe, K.; Erhart, P.; Nordlund, K. Modelling of Compound Semiconductors: Analytical Bond-order Potential for Gallium , Nitrogen and Gallium ...Control of Defects in Aluminum Gallium Nitride ((Al)GaN) Films on Grown Aluminum Nitride (AlN) Substrates by Iskander G. Batyrev, Chi-Chin Wu...Aluminum Gallium Nitride ((Al)GaN) Films on Grown Aluminum Nitride (AlN) Substrates Iskander G. Batyrev and N. Scott Weingarten Weapons and

Optical, Structural and Paramagnetic Properties of Eu-Doped Ternary Sulfides ALnS2 (A = Na, K, Rb; Ln = La, Gd, Lu, Y)

PubMed Central

Jarý, Vítězslav; Havlák, Lubomír; Bárta, Jan; Buryi, Maksym; Mihóková, Eva; Rejman, Martin; Laguta, Valentin; Nikl, Martin

2015-01-01

Eu-doped ternary sulfides of general formula ALnS2 (A = Na, K, Rb; Ln = La, Gd, Lu, Y) are presented as a novel interesting material family which may find usage as X-ray phosphors or solid state white light emitting diode (LED) lighting. Samples were synthesized in the form of transparent crystalline hexagonal platelets by chemical reaction under the flow of hydrogen sulfide. Their physical properties were investigated by means of X-ray diffraction, time-resolved photoluminescence spectroscopy, electron paramagnetic resonance, and X-ray excited fluorescence. Corresponding characteristics, including absorption, radioluminescence, photoluminescence excitation and emission spectra, and decay kinetics curves, were measured and evaluated in a broad temperature range (8–800 K). Calculations including quantum local crystal field potential and spin-Hamiltonian for a paramagnetic particle in D3d local symmetry and phenomenological model dealing with excited state dynamics were performed to explain the experimentally observed features. Based on the results, an energy diagram of lanthanide energy levels in KLuS2 is proposed. Color model xy-coordinates are used to compare effects of dopants on the resulting spectrum. The application potential of the mentioned compounds in the field of white LED solid state lighting or X-ray phosphors is thoroughly discussed. PMID:28793612

Zn-dopant dependent defect evolution in GaN nanowires.

PubMed

Yang, Bing; Liu, Baodan; Wang, Yujia; Zhuang, Hao; Liu, Qingyun; Yuan, Fang; Jiang, Xin

2015-10-21

Zn doped GaN nanowires with different doping levels (0, <1 at%, and 3-5 at%) have been synthesized through a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) process. The effect of Zn doping on the defect evolution, including stacking fault, dislocation, twin boundary and phase boundary, has been systematically investigated by transmission electron microscopy and first-principles calculations. Undoped GaN nanowires show a hexagonal wurtzite (WZ) structure with good crystallinity. Several kinds of twin boundaries, including (101¯3), (101¯1) and (202¯1), as well as Type I stacking faults (…ABABCBCB…), are observed in the nanowires. The increasing Zn doping level (<1 at%) induces the formation of screw dislocations featuring a predominant screw component along the radial direction of the GaN nanowires. At high Zn doping level (3-5 at%), meta-stable cubic zinc blende (ZB) domains are generated in the WZ GaN nanowires. The WZ/ZB phase boundary (…ABABACBA…) can be identified as Type II stacking faults. The density of stacking faults (both Type I and Type II) increases with increasing the Zn doping levels, which in turn leads to a rough-surface morphology in the GaN nanowires. First-principles calculations reveal that Zn doping will reduce the formation energy of both Type I and Type II stacking faults, favoring their nucleation in GaN nanowires. An understanding of the effect of Zn doping on the defect evolution provides an important method to control the microstructure and the electrical properties of p-type GaN nanowires.

Gallium hydride vapor phase epitaxy of GaN nanowires

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Straight GaN nanowires (NWs) with diameters of 50 nm, lengths up to 10 μm and a hexagonal wurtzite crystal structure have been grown at 900°C on 0.5 nm Au/Si(001) via the reaction of Ga with NH3 and N2:H2, where the H2 content was varied between 10 and 100%. The growth of high-quality GaN NWs depends critically on the thickness of Au and Ga vapor pressure while no deposition occurs on plain Si(001). Increasing the H2 content leads to an increase in the growth rate, a reduction in the areal density of the GaN NWs and a suppression of the underlying amorphous (α)-like GaN layer which occurs without H2. The increase in growth rate with H2 content is a direct consequence of the reaction of Ga with H2 which leads to the formation of Ga hydride that reacts efficiently with NH3 at the top of the GaN NWs. Moreover, the reduction in the areal density of the GaN NWs and suppression of the α-like GaN layer is attributed to the reaction of H2 with Ga in the immediate vicinity of the Au NPs. Finally, the incorporation of H2 leads to a significant improvement in the near band edge photoluminescence through a suppression of the non-radiative recombination via surface states which become passivated not only via H2, but also via a reduction of O2-related defects. PMID:21711801

Gallium hydride vapor phase epitaxy of GaN nanowires.

PubMed

Zervos, Matthew; Othonos, Andreas

2011-03-28

Straight GaN nanowires (NWs) with diameters of 50 nm, lengths up to 10 μm and a hexagonal wurtzite crystal structure have been grown at 900°C on 0.5 nm Au/Si(001) via the reaction of Ga with NH3 and N2:H2, where the H2 content was varied between 10 and 100%. The growth of high-quality GaN NWs depends critically on the thickness of Au and Ga vapor pressure while no deposition occurs on plain Si(001). Increasing the H2 content leads to an increase in the growth rate, a reduction in the areal density of the GaN NWs and a suppression of the underlying amorphous (α)-like GaN layer which occurs without H2. The increase in growth rate with H2 content is a direct consequence of the reaction of Ga with H2 which leads to the formation of Ga hydride that reacts efficiently with NH3 at the top of the GaN NWs. Moreover, the reduction in the areal density of the GaN NWs and suppression of the α-like GaN layer is attributed to the reaction of H2 with Ga in the immediate vicinity of the Au NPs. Finally, the incorporation of H2 leads to a significant improvement in the near band edge photoluminescence through a suppression of the non-radiative recombination via surface states which become passivated not only via H2, but also via a reduction of O2-related defects.

Preparation of freestanding GaN wafer by hydride vapor phase epitaxy on porous silicon

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu, Xian; Li, Peng; Liang, Renrong; Xiao, Lei; Xu, Jun; Wang, Jing

2018-05-01

A freestanding GaN wafer was prepared on porous Si (111) substrate using hydride vapor phase epitaxy (HVPE). To avoid undesirable effects of the porous surface on the crystallinity of the GaN, a GaN seed layer was first grown on the Si (111) bare wafer. A pattern with many apertures was fabricated in the GaN seed layer using lithography and etching processes. A porous layer was formed in the Si substrate immediately adjacent to the GaN seed layer by an anodic etching process. A 500-μm-thick GaN film was then grown on the patterned GaN seed layer using HVPE. The GaN film was separated from the Si substrate through the formation of cracks in the porous layer caused by thermal mismatch stress during the cooling stage of the HVPE. Finally, the GaN film was polished to obtain a freestanding GaN wafer.

Impacts of Thermal Atomic Layer-Deposited AlN Passivation Layer on GaN-on-Si High Electron Mobility Transistors.

PubMed

Zhao, Sheng-Xun; Liu, Xiao-Yong; Zhang, Lin-Qing; Huang, Hong-Fan; Shi, Jin-Shan; Wang, Peng-Fei

2016-12-01

Thermal atomic layer deposition (ALD)-grown AlN passivation layer is applied on AlGaN/GaN-on-Si HEMT, and the impacts on drive current and leakage current are investigated. The thermal ALD-grown 30-nm amorphous AlN results in a suppressed off-state leakage; however, its drive current is unchanged. It was also observed by nano-beam diffraction method that thermal ALD-amorphous AlN layer barely enhanced the polarization. On the other hand, the plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD)-deposited SiN layer enhanced the polarization and resulted in an improved drive current. The capacitance-voltage (C-V) measurement also indicates that thermal ALD passivation results in a better interface quality compared with the SiN passivation.

High-quality GaN epitaxially grown on Si substrate with serpentine channels

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wei, Tiantian; Zong, Hua; Jiang, Shengxiang; Yang, Yue; Liao, Hui; Xie, Yahong; Wang, Wenjie; Li, Junze; Tang, Jun; Hu, Xiaodong

2018-06-01

A novel serpentine-channeled mask was introduced to Si substrate for low-dislocation GaN epitaxial growth and the fully coalesced GaN film on the masked Si substrate was achieved for the first time. Compared with the epitaxial lateral overgrowth (ELOG) growth method, this innovative mask only requires one-step epitaxial growth of GaN which has only one high-dislocation region per mask opening. This new growth method can effectively reduce dislocation density, thus improving the quality of GaN significantly. High-quality GaN with low dislocation density ∼2.4 × 107 cm-2 was obtained, which accounted for about eighty percent of the GaN film in area. This innovative technique is promising for the growth of high-quality GaN templates and the subsequent fabrication of high-performance GaN-based devices like transistors, laser diodes (LDs), and light-emitting diodes (LEDs) on Si substrate.

[Clinical trial on treatment of Parkinson's disease of Gan-Shen yin deficiency type by recipe for nourishing Gan-Shen].

PubMed

Zhao, Hong; Li, Wen-Wei; Gao, Jun-Peng

2007-09-01

To observe the curative effect of the recipe for nourishing Gan-Shen on Parkinson's disease (PD) of Gan-Shen yin deficiency type. One hundred and twenty-one PD patients were ran-domly assigned by blocking design to the control group and the treated group in the ratio of 1:1. All were treated according to the international medication guiding principle for PD treatment, but the treated group was ad-ministered with the recipe for nourishing Gan-Shen additionally. The treatment course lasted for 12 consecutive months, and the end point was the end of the 12th month. The unified Parkinson's disease rating scale (UP-DRS) score, TCM primary and secondary symptom scores were evaluated before treatment, every 3 months of treatment and at the end point. The average daily levodopa dose and the Hoehn & Yahr grading were assessed before treatment and at the end point. After treatment, UPDRS score in both groups showed an ascending trend at a slower rate in the treated groups than in the control group. At the 9th and 12th month of medication, a significant difference was found in UPDRS score between the two groups (P < 0.05), and the TCM symptom score was obviously lower in the treated group than in the control group (P < 0.05). At the end point of the trial, the average daily levodopa dose used was lower in the treated group than in the control group (P < 0.05) and there was no significant difference in the Hoehn & Yahr score between the two groups (P > 0.05). The recipe for norishing Gan-Shen can slow the ascending trend of UPDRS score in the PD patients, improve the symptoms of Gan-Shen yin deficiency, and decrease the daily levodopa dose used, showing a curative effect on PD of Gan-Shen yin deficiency type.

Mechanical, Thermodynamic and Electronic Properties of Wurtzite and Zinc-Blende GaN Crystals.

PubMed

Qin, Hongbo; Luan, Xinghe; Feng, Chuang; Yang, Daoguo; Zhang, Guoqi

2017-12-12

For the limitation of experimental methods in crystal characterization, in this study, the mechanical, thermodynamic and electronic properties of wurtzite and zinc-blende GaN crystals were investigated by first-principles calculations based on density functional theory. Firstly, bulk moduli, shear moduli, elastic moduli and Poisson's ratios of the two GaN polycrystals were calculated using Voigt and Hill approximations, and the results show wurtzite GaN has larger shear and elastic moduli and exhibits more obvious brittleness. Moreover, both wurtzite and zinc-blende GaN monocrystals present obvious mechanical anisotropic behavior. For wurtzite GaN monocrystal, the maximum and minimum elastic moduli are located at orientations [001] and <111>, respectively, while they are in the orientations <111> and <100> for zinc-blende GaN monocrystal, respectively. Compared to the elastic modulus, the shear moduli of the two GaN monocrystals have completely opposite direction dependences. However, different from elastic and shear moduli, the bulk moduli of the two monocrystals are nearly isotropic, especially for the zinc-blende GaN. Besides, in the wurtzite GaN, Poisson's ratios at the planes containing [001] axis are anisotropic, and the maximum value is 0.31 which is located at the directions vertical to [001] axis. For zinc-blende GaN, Poisson's ratios at planes (100) and (111) are isotropic, while the Poisson's ratio at plane (110) exhibits dramatically anisotropic phenomenon. Additionally, the calculated Debye temperatures of wurtzite and zinc-blende GaN are 641.8 and 620.2 K, respectively. At 300 K, the calculated heat capacities of wurtzite and zinc-blende are 33.6 and 33.5 J mol -1 K -1 , respectively. Finally, the band gap is located at the G point for the two crystals, and the band gaps of wurtzite and zinc-blende GaN are 3.62 eV and 3.06 eV, respectively. At the G point, the lowest energy of conduction band in the wurtzite GaN is larger, resulting in a wider band

Mechanical, Thermodynamic and Electronic Properties of Wurtzite and Zinc-Blende GaN Crystals

PubMed Central

Luan, Xinghe; Feng, Chuang; Yang, Daoguo; Zhang, Guoqi

2017-01-01

For the limitation of experimental methods in crystal characterization, in this study, the mechanical, thermodynamic and electronic properties of wurtzite and zinc-blende GaN crystals were investigated by first-principles calculations based on density functional theory. Firstly, bulk moduli, shear moduli, elastic moduli and Poisson’s ratios of the two GaN polycrystals were calculated using Voigt and Hill approximations, and the results show wurtzite GaN has larger shear and elastic moduli and exhibits more obvious brittleness. Moreover, both wurtzite and zinc-blende GaN monocrystals present obvious mechanical anisotropic behavior. For wurtzite GaN monocrystal, the maximum and minimum elastic moduli are located at orientations [001] and <111>, respectively, while they are in the orientations <111> and <100> for zinc-blende GaN monocrystal, respectively. Compared to the elastic modulus, the shear moduli of the two GaN monocrystals have completely opposite direction dependences. However, different from elastic and shear moduli, the bulk moduli of the two monocrystals are nearly isotropic, especially for the zinc-blende GaN. Besides, in the wurtzite GaN, Poisson’s ratios at the planes containing [001] axis are anisotropic, and the maximum value is 0.31 which is located at the directions vertical to [001] axis. For zinc-blende GaN, Poisson’s ratios at planes (100) and (111) are isotropic, while the Poisson’s ratio at plane (110) exhibits dramatically anisotropic phenomenon. Additionally, the calculated Debye temperatures of wurtzite and zinc-blende GaN are 641.8 and 620.2 K, respectively. At 300 K, the calculated heat capacities of wurtzite and zinc-blende are 33.6 and 33.5 J mol−1 K−1, respectively. Finally, the band gap is located at the G point for the two crystals, and the band gaps of wurtzite and zinc-blende GaN are 3.62 eV and 3.06 eV, respectively. At the G point, the lowest energy of conduction band in the wurtzite GaN is larger, resulting in a

Electron microscopy investigations of purity of AlN interlayer in Al{sub x}Ga{sub 1-x}N/GaN heterostructures grown by plasma assisted molecular beam epitaxy

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sridhara Rao, D. V.; Jain, Anubha; Lamba, Sushil

2013-05-13

The electron microscopy was used to characterize the AlN interlayer in Al{sub x}Ga{sub 1-x}N/AlN/GaN heterostructures grown by plasma assisted molecular beam epitaxy (PAMBE). We show that the AlN interlayer grown by PAMBE is without gallium and oxygen incorporation and the interfaces are coherent. The AlN interlayer has the ABAB stacking of lattice planes as expected for the wurtzite phase. High purity of AlN interlayer with the ABAB stacking leads to larger conduction band offset along with stronger polarization effects. Our studies show that the origin of lower sheet resistance obtained by PAMBE is the purity of AlN interlayer.

Direct growth of freestanding GaN on C-face SiC by HVPE.

PubMed

Tian, Yuan; Shao, Yongliang; Wu, Yongzhong; Hao, Xiaopeng; Zhang, Lei; Dai, Yuanbin; Huo, Qin

2015-06-02

In this work, high quality GaN crystal was successfully grown on C-face 6H-SiC by HVPE using a two steps growth process. Due to the small interaction stress between the GaN and the SiC substrate, the GaN was self-separated from the SiC substrate even with a small thickness of about 100 μm. Moreover, the SiC substrate was excellent without damage after the whole process so that it can be repeatedly used in the GaN growth. Hot phosphoric acid etching (at 240 °C for 30 min) was employed to identify the polarity of the GaN layer. According to the etching results, the obtained layer was Ga-polar GaN. High-resolution X-ray diffraction (HRXRD) and electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) were done to characterize the quality of the freestanding GaN. The Raman measurements showed that the freestanding GaN film grown on the C-face 6H-SiC was stress-free. The optical properties of the freestanding GaN layer were determined by photoluminescence (PL) spectra.

Design and analysis of InN - In0.25Ga0.75N single quantum well laser for short distance communication wavelength

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Polash, Md. Mobarak Hossain; Alam, M. Shah; Biswas, Saumya

2018-03-01

A single quantum well semiconductor laser based on wurtzite-nitride is designed and analyzed for short distance communication wavelength (at around 1300 nm). The laser structure has 12 Å well layer of InN, 15 Å barrier layer of In0.25Ga0.75N, and 54 Å separate confinement heterostructure layer of GaN. To calculate the electronic characteristics of the structure, a self-consistent method is used where Hamiltonian with effective mass approximation is solved for conduction band while six-bands Hamiltonian matrix with k · p formalism including the polarization effect, valence-band mixing effect, and strain effect is solved for valence band. The interband optical transition elements, optical gain, differential gain, radiative current density, spontaneous emission rate, and threshold characteristics have been calculated. The wave function overlap integral is found to be 45.93% for TE-polarized structure. Also, the spontaneous emission rate is found to be 6.57 × 1027 s - 1 cm - 3 eV - 1 at 1288.21 nm with the carrier density of 5 × 1019 cm - 3. Furthermore, the radiative current density and the radiative recombination rate are found to be 121.92 A cm - 2 and 6.35 × 1027 s - 1 cm - 3, respectively, while the TE-polarized optical gain of the structure is 3872.1 cm - 1 at 1301.7 nm.

The 2018 GaN power electronics roadmap

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Amano, H.; Baines, Y.; Beam, E.; Borga, Matteo; Bouchet, T.; Chalker, Paul R.; Charles, M.; Chen, Kevin J.; Chowdhury, Nadim; Chu, Rongming; De Santi, Carlo; Merlyne De Souza, Maria; Decoutere, Stefaan; Di Cioccio, L.; Eckardt, Bernd; Egawa, Takashi; Fay, P.; Freedsman, Joseph J.; Guido, L.; Häberlen, Oliver; Haynes, Geoff; Heckel, Thomas; Hemakumara, Dilini; Houston, Peter; Hu, Jie; Hua, Mengyuan; Huang, Qingyun; Huang, Alex; Jiang, Sheng; Kawai, H.; Kinzer, Dan; Kuball, Martin; Kumar, Ashwani; Boon Lee, Kean; Li, Xu; Marcon, Denis; März, Martin; McCarthy, R.; Meneghesso, Gaudenzio; Meneghini, Matteo; Morvan, E.; Nakajima, A.; Narayanan, E. M. S.; Oliver, Stephen; Palacios, Tomás; Piedra, Daniel; Plissonnier, M.; Reddy, R.; Sun, Min; Thayne, Iain; Torres, A.; Trivellin, Nicola; Unni, V.; Uren, Michael J.; Van Hove, Marleen; Wallis, David J.; Wang, J.; Xie, J.; Yagi, S.; Yang, Shu; Youtsey, C.; Yu, Ruiyang; Zanoni, Enrico; Zeltner, Stefan; Zhang, Yuhao

2018-04-01

Gallium nitride (GaN) is a compound semiconductor that has tremendous potential to facilitate economic growth in a semiconductor industry that is silicon-based and currently faced with diminishing returns of performance versus cost of investment. At a material level, its high electric field strength and electron mobility have already shown tremendous potential for high frequency communications and photonic applications. Advances in growth on commercially viable large area substrates are now at the point where power conversion applications of GaN are at the cusp of commercialisation. The future for building on the work described here in ways driven by specific challenges emerging from entirely new markets and applications is very exciting. This collection of GaN technology developments is therefore not itself a road map but a valuable collection of global state-of-the-art GaN research that will inform the next phase of the technology as market driven requirements evolve. First generation production devices are igniting large new markets and applications that can only be achieved using the advantages of higher speed, low specific resistivity and low saturation switching transistors. Major investments are being made by industrial companies in a wide variety of markets exploring the use of the technology in new circuit topologies, packaging solutions and system architectures that are required to achieve and optimise the system advantages offered by GaN transistors. It is this momentum that will drive priorities for the next stages of device research gathered here.

Native defects in GaN: a hybrid functional study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Diallo, Ibrahima Castillo; Demchenko, Denis

Intrinsic defects play an important role in the performance of GaN-based devices. We present hybrid density functional calculations of the electronic and possible optical properties of interstitial N (Ni-Ni) , N antisite (NGa) , interstitial Ga (Gai) , Ga antisite (GaN) , Ga vacancy (VGa) , N vacancy (VN) and Ga-N divacancies (VGaVN) in GaN. Our results show that the vacancies display relatively low formation energies in certain samples, whereas antisites and interstitials are energetically less favorable. However, interstitials can be created by electron irradiation. For instance, in 2.5 MeV electron-irradiated GaN samples, a strong correlation between the frequently observed photoluminescence (PL) band centered around 0.85 eV accompanied with a rich phonon sideband of ~0.88 eV and the theoretical optical behavior of interstitial Ga is discussed. N vacancies are found to likely contribute to the experimentally obtained green luminescence band (GL2) peaking at 2.24 eV in high-resistivity undoped and Mg-doped GaN. National Science Foundation (DMR-1410125) and the Thomas F. and Kate Miller Jeffress Memorial Trust.

Characterization of an Mg-implanted GaN p-i-n Diode

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-03-31

unintentionally doped GaN layer was grown by metal organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) on a n+ Ga -face c-oriented GaN substrate. The as-grown MOCVD film...their proper lattice sites. In the case of Mg implanted GaN , the Mg must replace Ga to result in p-type material. In many other semiconductor...Characterization of an Mg-implanted GaN p-i-n Diode Travis J. Anderson, Jordan D. Greenlee, Boris N. Feigelson, Karl D. Hobart, and Francis J

Polarity Control of Heteroepitaxial GaN Nanowires on Diamond.

PubMed

Hetzl, Martin; Kraut, Max; Hoffmann, Theresa; Stutzmann, Martin

2017-06-14

Group III-nitride materials such as GaN nanowires are characterized by a spontaneous polarization within the crystal. The sign of the resulting sheet charge at the top and bottom facet of a GaN nanowire is determined by the orientation of the wurtzite bilayer of the different atomic species, called N and Ga polarity. We investigate the polarity distribution of heteroepitaxial GaN nanowires on different substrates and demonstrate polarity control of GaN nanowires on diamond. Kelvin Probe Force Microscopy is used to determine the polarity of individual selective area-grown and self-assembled nanowires over a large scale. At standard growth conditions, mixed polarity occurs for selective GaN nanowires on various substrates, namely on silicon, on sapphire and on diamond. To obtain control over the growth orientation on diamond, the substrate surface is modified by nitrogen and oxygen plasma exposure prior to growth, and the growth parameters are adjusted simultaneously. We find that the surface chemistry and the substrate temperature are the decisive factors for obtaining control of up to 93% for both polarity types, whereas the growth mode, namely selective area or self-assembled growth, does not influence the polarity distribution significantly. The experimental results are discussed by a model based on the interfacial bonds between the GaN nanowires, the termination layer, and the substrate.

High Temperature Heterojunction Bipolar Transistors

DTIC Science & Technology

1994-04-15

Furthermore, p-type doping has only recently been announced in GaN,󈧒 and p-type conductivity had to be induced by irradiating Mg-doped GaN with a low ...confinement of the electron gas by a potential barrier should not be a problem even for low In concentrations. Although InN is not lattice matched to GaN...epitaxy.3 The films were grown by the reaction of Ga vapor with ECR-activated nitrogen . This study found that at low microwave power levels

High-Sensitivity GaN Microchemical Sensors

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Son, Kyung-ah; Yang, Baohua; Liao, Anna; Moon, Jeongsun; Prokopuk, Nicholas

2009-01-01

Systematic studies have been performed on the sensitivity of GaN HEMT (high electron mobility transistor) sensors using various gate electrode designs and operational parameters. The results here show that a higher sensitivity can be achieved with a larger W/L ratio (W = gate width, L = gate length) at a given D (D = source-drain distance), and multi-finger gate electrodes offer a higher sensitivity than a one-finger gate electrode. In terms of operating conditions, sensor sensitivity is strongly dependent on transconductance of the sensor. The highest sensitivity can be achieved at the gate voltage where the slope of the transconductance curve is the largest. This work provides critical information about how the gate electrode of a GaN HEMT, which has been identified as the most sensitive among GaN microsensors, needs to be designed, and what operation parameters should be used for high sensitivity detection.

High free carrier concentration in p-GaN grown on AlN substrates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sarkar, Biplab; Mita, Seiji; Reddy, Pramod; Klump, Andrew; Kaess, Felix; Tweedie, James; Bryan, Isaac; Bryan, Zachary; Kirste, Ronny; Kohn, Erhard; Collazo, Ramon; Sitar, Zlatko

2017-07-01

A high free hole concentration in III-nitrides is important for next generation optoelectronic and high power electronic devices. The free hole concentration exceeding 1018 cm-3 and resistivity as low as 0.7 Ω cm are reported for p-GaN layers grown by metalorganic vapor phase epitaxy on single crystal AlN substrates. Temperature dependent Hall measurements confirmed a much lower activation energy, 60-80 mV, for p-GaN grown on AlN as compared to sapphire substrates; the lowering of the activation energy was due to screening of Coulomb potential by free carriers. It is also shown that a higher doping density (more than 5 × 1019 cm-3) can be achieved in p-GaN/AlN without the onset of self-compensation.

The optimal thickness of a transmission-mode GaN photocathode

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Xiao-Hui; Shi, Feng; Guo, Hui; Hu, Cang-Lu; Cheng, Hong-Chang; Chang, Ben-Kang; Ren, Ling; Du, Yu-Jie; Zhang, Jun-Ju

2012-08-01

A 150-nm-thick GaN photocathode with a Mg doping concentration of 1.6 × 1017 cm-3 is activated by Cs/O in an ultrahigh vacuum chamber, and a quantum efficiency (QE) curve of the negative electron affinity transmission-mode (t-mode) of the GaN photocathode is obtained. The maximum QE reaches 13.0% at 290 nm. According to the t-mode QE equation solved from the diffusion equation, the QE curve is fitted. From the fitting results, the electron escape probability is 0.32, the back-interface recombination velocity is 5 × 104 cm·s-1, and the electron diffusion length is 116 nm. Based on these parameters, the influence of GaN thickness on t-mode QE is simulated. The simulation shows that the optimal thickness of GaN is 90 nm, which is better than the 150-nm GaN.

Conductivity based on selective etch for GaN devices and applications thereof

DOEpatents

Zhang, Yu; Sun, Qian; Han, Jung

2015-12-08

This invention relates to methods of generating NP gallium nitride (GaN) across large areas (>1 cm.sup.2) with controlled pore diameters, pore density, and porosity. Also disclosed are methods of generating novel optoelectronic devices based on porous GaN. Additionally a layer transfer scheme to separate and create free-standing crystalline GaN thin layers is disclosed that enables a new device manufacturing paradigm involving substrate recycling. Other disclosed embodiments of this invention relate to fabrication of GaN based nanocrystals and the use of NP GaN electrodes for electrolysis, water splitting, or photosynthetic process applications.

Characterization of vertical GaN p-n diodes and junction field-effect transistors on bulk GaN down to cryogenic temperatures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kizilyalli, I. C.; Aktas, O.

2015-12-01

There is great interest in wide-bandgap semiconductor devices and most recently in vertical GaN structures for power electronic applications such as power supplies, solar inverters and motor drives. In this paper the temperature-dependent electrical behavior of vertical GaN p-n diodes and vertical junction field-effect transistors fabricated on bulk GaN substrates of low defect density (104 to 106 cm-2) is described. Homoepitaxial MOCVD growth of GaN on its native substrate and the ability to control the doping in the drift layers in GaN have allowed the realization of vertical device architectures with drift layer thicknesses of 6 to 40 μm and net carrier electron concentrations as low as 1 × 1015 cm-3. This parameter range is suitable for applications requiring breakdown voltages of 1.2 kV to 5 kV. Mg, which is used as a p-type dopant in GaN, is a relatively deep acceptor (E A ≈ 0.18 eV) and susceptible to freeze-out at temperatures below 200 K. The loss of holes in p-GaN has a deleterious effect on p-n junction behavior, p-GaN contacts and channel control in junction field-effect transistors at temperatures below 200 K. Impact ionization-based avalanche breakdown (BV > 1200 V) in GaN p-n junctions is characterized between 77 K and 423 K for the first time. At higher temperatures the p-n junction breakdown voltage improves due to increased phonon scattering. A positive temperature coefficient in the breakdown voltage is demonstrated down to 77 K; however, the device breakdown characteristics are not as abrupt at temperatures below 200 K. On the other hand, contact resistance to p-GaN is reduced dramatically above room temperature, improving the overall device performance in GaN p-n diodes in all cases except where the n-type drift region resistance dominates the total forward resistance. In this case, the electron mobility can be deconvolved and is found to decrease with T -3/2, consistent with a phonon scattering model. Also, normally-on vertical junction

Surface cleaning for negative electron affinity GaN photocathode

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Qiao, Jianliang; Yin, Yingpeng; Gao, Youtang; Niu, Jun; Qian, Yunsheng; Chang, Benkang

2012-10-01

In the preparation process for negative electron affinity (NEA) GaN photocathode, the surface cleanness is very important to activation, it influences the sensitivity and stability of NEA GaN photocathode. The traditional corrosion methods based on oxidizing and dissolving can't remove oxygen (O) and carbon (C) on GaN surface effectively. How to get an ideal atom clean surface is still an important question at present. The cleaning techniques for GaN photocathode was studied by using NEA photocathode activation system and XPS surface analysis system. The experiment sample is p-type GaN doped with Mg, doped concentration is 1.37×1017 cm-3, the transfer rate is 3.08 cm2/V-S, and the thickness of activation layer is 0.51 μm, the substrate is 300 μm thick sapphire. The sample was dealed with chemical cleaning depuration at first. And to get the atom clean surface, the vacuum heat cleaning process was needed. The methods of chemical cleaning and the vacuum heating cleaning were given in detail. According to the X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy of GaN surface after chemical cleaning and the vacuum degree curve of the activation chamber during the heat cleaning, the cleaning effect and the cleaning mechanism were discussed. After the effective chemical cleaning and the heating of 700 Centigrade degree about 20 minutes in ultrahigh vacuum system, the oxides and carbon contaminants on cathode surface can be removed effectively, and the ideal atom clean surface can be obtained. The purpose of heating depuration process is that not only to get the atom clean GaN surface, but also to guarantee the contents of Ga, N on GaN surface stabilize and to keep the system ultra-high vacuum degree. Because of the volatilization of oxide and carbon impurity on the cathode surface, the vacuum degree curve drops with the rising of temperature on the whole.

Network of vertically c-oriented prismatic InN nanowalls grown on c-GaN/sapphire template by chemical vapor deposition technique

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barick, B. K.; Saroj, Rajendra Kumar; Prasad, Nivedita; Sutar, D. S.; Dhar, S.

2018-05-01

Networks of vertically c-oriented prism shaped InN nanowalls, are grown on c-GaN/sapphire templates using a CVD technique, where pure indium and ammonia are used as metal and nitrogen precursors. A systematic study of the growth, structural and electronic properties of these samples shows a preferential growth of the islands along [ 1 1 2 bar 0 ] and [0 0 0 1] directions leading to the formation of such a network structure, where the vertically [0 0 0 1] oriented tapered walls are laterally align along one of the three [ 1 1 2 bar 0 ] directions. Inclined facets of these walls are identified as semipolar (1 1 2 bar 2) -planes of wurtzite InN. Onset of absorption for these samples is observed to be higher than the band gap of InN suggesting a high background carrier concentration in this material. Study of the valence band edge through XPS indicates the formation of positive depletion regions below the surface of the side facets [(1 1 2 bar 2) -planes] of the walls. This is in contrast with the observation for c-plane InN epilayers, where electron accumulation is often reported below the top surface.

Growth dynamics of reactive-sputtering-deposited AlN films

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Auger, M.A.; Vazquez, L.; Sanchez, O.

2005-06-15

We have studied the surface kinetic roughening of AlN films grown on Si(100) substrates by dc reactive sputtering within the framework of the dynamic scaling theory. Films deposited under the same experimental conditions for different growth times were analyzed by atomic force microscopy and x-ray diffraction. The AlN films display a (002) preferred orientation. We have found two growth regimes with a crossover time of 36 min. In the first regime, the growth dynamics is unstable and the films present two types of textured domains, well textured and randomly oriented, respectively. In contrast, in the second regime the films aremore » homogeneous and well textured, leading to a relative stabilization of the surface roughness characterized by a growth exponent {beta}=0.37{+-}0.03. In this regime a superrough scaling behavior is found with the following exponents: (i) Global exponents: roughness exponent {alpha}=1.2{+-}0.2 and {beta}=0.37{+-}0.03 and coarsening exponent 1/z=0.32{+-}0.05; (ii) local exponents: {alpha}{sub loc}=1, {beta}{sub loc}=0.32{+-}0.01. The differences between the growth modes are found to be related to the different main growth mechanisms dominating their growth dynamics: sticking anisotropy and shadowing, respectively.« less

Mechanism of radiative recombination in acceptor-doped bulk GaN crystals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Godlewski, M.; Suski, T.; Grzegory, I.; Porowski, S.; Bergman, J. P.; Chen, W. M.; Monemar, B.

1999-12-01

Optical and electrical properties of acceptor-doped bulk GaN crystals are discussed. Though introducing Zn and Ca to bulk GaN does not significantly change electron concentration, it results in the appearance of a blue photoluminescence band accompanying the relatively strong yellow band usually present. Highly resistive GaN : Mg crystals are obtained when high amount of Mg is introduced to the Ga melt during high-pressure synthesis. Change of electrical properties of Mg-doped bulk crystals is accompanied by the appearance of a strong blue emission of GaN similar to that in Ca- and Zn-doped crystals. Optically detected magnetic resonance investigations indicate a multi-band character of this blue emission and suggest possible mechanism of compensation in acceptor-doped bulk GaN.

Morphological evolution and characterization of GaN pyramid arrays fabricated by photo-assisted chemical etching

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Shiying; Xiu, Xiangqian; Xu, Qingjun; Li, Yuewen; Hua, Xuemei; Chen, Peng; Xie, Zili; Liu, Bin; Zhou, Yugang; Han, Ping; Zhang, Rong; Zheng, Youdou

2016-12-01

GaN pyramid arrays have been successfully synthesized by selective photo-assisted chemical etching in a K2S2O8/KOH solution. A detailed analysis of time evolution of surface morphology has been conducted, which describes an etching process of GaN pyramids. Room temperature cathodoluminescence images indicate that these pyramids are composed of crystalline GaN surrounding dislocations, which is caused by the greater recombination rate of electrons and holes at dislocation than that of crystalline GaN. The Raman results show a stress relaxation in GaN pyramids compared with unetched GaN. The optical property of both unetched GaN and GaN pyramids has been studied by photoluminescence. The formation mechanism and feature of GaN pyramids are also rationally explained.

Estimating ice particle scattering properties using a modified Rayleigh-Gans approximation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lu, Yinghui; Clothiaux, Eugene E.; Aydin, Kültegin; Verlinde, Johannes

2014-09-01

A modification to the Rayleigh-Gans approximation is made that includes self-interactions between different parts of an ice crystal, which both improves the accuracy of the Rayleigh-Gans approximation and extends its applicability to polarization-dependent parameters. This modified Rayleigh-Gans approximation is both efficient and reasonably accurate for particles with at least one dimension much smaller than the wavelength (e.g., dendrites at millimeter or longer wavelengths) or particles with sparse structures (e.g., low-density aggregates). Relative to the Generalized Multiparticle Mie method, backscattering reflectivities at horizontal transmit and receive polarization (HH) (ZHH) computed with this modified Rayleigh-Gans approach are about 3 dB more accurate than with the traditional Rayleigh-Gans approximation. For realistic particle size distributions and pristine ice crystals the modified Rayleigh-Gans approach agrees with the Generalized Multiparticle Mie method to within 0.5 dB for ZHH whereas for the polarimetric radar observables differential reflectivity (ZDR) and specific differential phase (KDP) agreement is generally within 0.7 dB and 13%, respectively. Compared to the A-DDA code, the modified Rayleigh-Gans approximation is several to tens of times faster if scattering properties for different incident angles and particle orientations are calculated. These accuracies and computational efficiencies are sufficient to make this modified Rayleigh-Gans approach a viable alternative to the Rayleigh-Gans approximation in some applications such as millimeter to centimeter wavelength radars and to other methods that assume simpler, less accurate shapes for ice crystals. This method should not be used on materials with dielectric properties much different from ice and on compact particles much larger than the wavelength.

Theoretical investigation of Lamb wave characteristics in AlN/3C-SiC composite membranes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lin, Chih-Ming; Chen, Yung-Yu; Pisano, Albert P.

2010-11-01

Cubic silicon carbide (3C-SiC) layer can provide advantages of high frequency and high quality factor for Lamb wave devices due to the superior properties of high acoustic velocity and low acoustic loss. In this study, Lamb wave propagation characteristics in composite membranes consisting of a c-axis oriented aluminum nitride (AlN) film and an epitaxial 3C-SiC (100) layer are investigated by theoretical calculation. The lowest symmetric mode Lamb wave propagating along the [011] direction exhibits a phase velocity higher than 10 000 m/s and an electromechanical coupling coefficient above 2% in the AlN/3C-SiC multilayered membranes.

Reflectivity of the AL-N coating: results of mechanical and environmental tests

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Anisimov, Vladimir P.; Anisimova, Irina A.; Kashirin, Victor A.; Moldosanov, Kamil A.; Skrynnikov, Alexander M.

2002-09-01

This paper concerns a behavior of the total hemispherical reflectance (THR) of the Al-N coating in the course of mechanical and environmental tests. The Al-N coating has been designed to reduce the stray sunlight background in the satellite-borne optical instruments and charge-particles-analyzing apparatus operating in open space under intensive solar radiation. Usually, this problem arises when a density of instruments installed on the satellite is high and it is difficult to avoid getting to instrument the light reflected by neighboring devices. Resolution of this problem is also important in connection with development of the extra-atmosphere Far UV astronomy. The THR measurement results are presented for 10 wavelengths wihtin a range from 400 to 927 nm, and also at 121.6 nm, the most intensive line of the solar UV spectrum able to result in considerable contribution to the detector noise in space devices. The samples of the Al-N coating were exposed to standard mechanical loads including the vibratory loads, linear overloads, and impacts, to which the space equipment may be subjected when shipping to the space-vehicle launching site and also when lauching. The samples were also exposed to environmental tests simulating the vacuum, humidity, and cyclic temperature conditions, which may influence the space instruments while shipping, storing, launching, in flight, and under operating conditions. The THR measurements of the samples were made following exposure to each test. The THRs of tested samples at the wavelength of 121.6 nm were as low as 1.5-2%.

Study on photoemission surface of varied doping GaN photocathode

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Qiao, Jianliang; Du, Ruijuan; Ding, Huan; Gao, Youtang; Chang, Benkang

2014-09-01

For varied doping GaN photocathode, from bulk to surface the doping concentrations are distributed from high to low. The varied doping GaN photocathode may produce directional inside electric field within the material, so the higher quantum efficiency can be obtained. The photoemission surface of varied doping GaN photocathode is very important to the high quantum efficiency, but the forming process of the surface state after Cs activation or Cs/O activation has been not known completely. Encircling the photoemission mechanism of varied GaN photocathode, considering the experiment phenomena during the activation and the successful activation results, the varied GaN photocathode surface model [GaN(Mg):Cs]:O-Cs after activation with cesium and oxygen was given. According to GaN photocathode activation process and the change of electronic affinity, the comparatively ideal NEA property can be achieved by Cs or Cs/O activation, and higher quantum efficiency can be obtained. The results show: The effective NEA characteristic of GaN can be gotten only by Cs. [GaN(Mg):Cs] dipoles form the first dipole layer, the positive end is toward the vacuum side. In the activation processing with Cs/O, the second dipole layer is formed by O-Cs dipoles, A O-Cs dipole includes one oxygen atom and two Cs atoms, and the positive end is also toward the vacuum side thus the escape of electrons can be promoted.

Synthesis and Raman scattering of GaN nanorings, nanoribbons and nanowires

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Z. J.; Chen, X. L.; Li, H. J.; Tu, Q. Y.; Yang, Z.; Xu, Y. P.; Hu, B. Q.

Low-dimensional GaN materials, including nanorings, nanoribbons and smooth nanowires have been synthesized by reacting gallium and ammonia using Ag particles as a catalyst on the substrate of MgO single crystals. They were characterized by field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). EDX, XRD indicated that the low-dimensional nanomaterials were wurtzite GaN. New features are found in Raman scatterings for these low-dimensional GaN materials, which are different from the previous observations of GaN materials.

Thermodynamics of inversion-domain boundaries in aluminum nitride: Interplay between interface energy and electric dipole potential energy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, J. Y.; Xie, Y. P.; Guo, H. B.; Chen, Y. G.

2018-05-01

Aluminum nitride (AlN) has a polar crystal structure that is susceptible to electric dipolar interactions. The inversion domains in AlN, similar to those in GaN and other wurtzite-structure materials, decrease the energy associated with the electric dipolar interactions at the expense of inversion-domain boundaries, whose interface energy has not been quantified. We study the atomic structures of six different inversion-domain boundaries in AlN, and compare their interface energies from density functional theory calculations. The low-energy interfaces have atomic structures with similar bonding geometry as those in the bulk phase, while the high-energy interfaces contain N-N wrong bonds. We calculate the formation energy of an inversion domain using the interface energy and dipoles' electric-field energy, and find that the distribution of the inversion domains is an important parameter for the microstructures of AlN films. Using this thermodynamic model, it is possible to control the polarity and microstructure of AlN films by tuning the distribution of an inversion-domain nucleus and by selecting the low-energy synthesis methods.

Design and Optimization of AlN based RF MEMS Switches

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hasan Ziko, Mehadi; Koel, Ants

2018-05-01

Radio frequency microelectromechanical system (RF MEMS) switch technology might have potential to replace the semiconductor technology in future communication systems as well as communication satellites, wireless and mobile phones. This study is to explore the possibilities of RF MEMS switch design and optimization with aluminium nitride (AlN) thin film as the piezoelectric actuation material. Achieving low actuation voltage and high contact force with optimal geometry using the principle of piezoelectric effect is the main motivation for this research. Analytical and numerical modelling of single beam type RF MEMS switch used to analyse the design parameters and optimize them for the minimum actuation voltage and high contact force. An analytical model using isotropic AlN material properties used to obtain the optimal parameters. The optimized geometry of the device length, width and thickness are 2000 µm, 500 µm and 0.6 µm respectively obtained for the single beam RF MEMS switch. Low actuation voltage and high contact force with optimal geometry are less than 2 Vand 100 µN obtained by analytical analysis. Additionally, the single beam RF MEMS switch are optimized and validated by comparing the analytical and finite element modelling (FEM) analysis.

An array of Eiffel-tower-shape AlN nanotips and its field emission properties

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tang, Yongbing; Cong, Hongtao; Chen, Zhigang; Cheng, Huiming

2005-06-01

An array of Eiffel-tower-shape AlN nanotips has been synthesized and assembled vertically with Si substrate by a chemical vapor deposition method at 700 °C. The single-crystalline AlN nanotips along [001] direction, including sharp tips with 10-100 nm in diameter and submicron-sized bases, are distributed uniformly with density of 106-107tips/cm2. Field emission (FE) measurements show that its turn on field is 4.7 V/μm, which is comparable to that of carbon nanotubes, and the fluctuation of FE current is as small as 0.74% for 4 h. It is revealed this nanostructure is available to optimize the FE properties and make the array a promising field emitter.

Vacancy-hydrogen complexes in ammonothermal GaN

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tuomisto, F.; Kuittinen, T.; Zając, M.; Doradziński, R.; Wasik, D.

2014-10-01

We have applied positron annihilation spectroscopy to study in-grown vacancy defects in bulk GaN crystals grown by the ammonothermal method. We observe a high concentration of Ga vacancy related defects in n-type samples with varying free electron and oxygen content. The positron lifetimes found in these samples suggest that the Ga vacancies are complexed with hydrogen impurities. The number of hydrogen atoms in each vacancy decreases with increasing free electron concentration and oxygen and hydrogen content. The local vibrational modes observed in infrared absorption support this conclusion. Growth of high-quality ammonothermal GaN single crystals with varying electron concentrations. Identification of defect complexes containing a Ga vacancy and 1 or more hydrogen atoms, and possibly O. These vacancy complexes provide a likely explanation for electrical compensation in ammonothermal GaN.

The origin of the residual conductivity of GaN films on ferroelectric materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Kyoung-Keun; Cai, Zhuhua; Ziemer, Katherine; Doolittle, William Alan

2009-08-01

In this paper, the origin of the conductivity of GaN films grown on ferroelectric materials was investigated using XPS, AES, and XRD analysis tools. Depth profiles confirmed the existence of impurities in the GaN film originating from the substrates. Bonding energy analysis from XPS and AES verified that oxygen impurities from the substrates were the dominant origin of the conductivity of the GaN film. Furthermore, Ga-rich GaN films have a greater chance of enhancing diffusion of lithium oxide from the substrates, resulting in more substrate phase separation and a wider inter-mixed region confirmed by XRD. Therefore, the direct GaN film growth on ferroelectric materials causes impurity diffusion from the substrates, resulting in highly conductive GaN films. Future work needs to develop non-conductive buffer layers for impurity suppression in order to obtain highly resistive GaN films.

Photoemission stability of negative electron affinity GaN photocathode

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Junju; Wang, Xiaohui; Yang, Wenzheng; Tang, Weidong; Fu, Xiaoqian; Li, Biao; Chang, Benkang

2012-11-01

The stability for reflection-mode GaN photocathode has been investigated by monitoring the photocurrent and the spectral response at room temperature. We watch that the photocurrent of the cathode decays with time in the vacuum system, and compare the spectral response curves after activation and after degradation. The photocurrent decay mechanism for reflection-mode NEA GaN photocathode was studied by the surface model ?GaN (Mg) :Cs ?:O-Cs. The reduction of the effective dipole quantity, which is caused by harmful gases, is the key factor of the photocurrent reduction.

Ultralow threading dislocation density in GaN epilayer on near-strain-free GaN compliant buffer layer and its applications in hetero-epitaxial LEDs

PubMed Central

Shih, Huan-Yu; Shiojiri, Makoto; Chen, Ching-Hsiang; Yu, Sheng-Fu; Ko, Chung-Ting; Yang, Jer-Ren; Lin, Ray-Ming; Chen, Miin-Jang

2015-01-01

High threading dislocation (TD) density in GaN-based devices is a long unresolved problem because of the large lattice mismatch between GaN and the substrate, which causes a major obstacle for the further improvement of next-generation high-efficiency solid-state lighting and high-power electronics. Here, we report InGaN/GaN LEDs with ultralow TD density and improved efficiency on a sapphire substrate, on which a near strain-free GaN compliant buffer layer was grown by remote plasma atomic layer deposition. This “compliant” buffer layer is capable of relaxing strain due to the absorption of misfit dislocations in a region within ~10 nm from the interface, leading to a high-quality overlying GaN epilayer with an unusual TD density as low as 2.2 × 105 cm−2. In addition, this GaN compliant buffer layer exhibits excellent uniformity up to a 6” wafer, revealing a promising means to realize large-area GaN hetero-epitaxy for efficient LEDs and high-power transistors. PMID:26329829

Ultralow threading dislocation density in GaN epilayer on near-strain-free GaN compliant buffer layer and its applications in hetero-epitaxial LEDs.

PubMed

Shih, Huan-Yu; Shiojiri, Makoto; Chen, Ching-Hsiang; Yu, Sheng-Fu; Ko, Chung-Ting; Yang, Jer-Ren; Lin, Ray-Ming; Chen, Miin-Jang

2015-09-02

High threading dislocation (TD) density in GaN-based devices is a long unresolved problem because of the large lattice mismatch between GaN and the substrate, which causes a major obstacle for the further improvement of next-generation high-efficiency solid-state lighting and high-power electronics. Here, we report InGaN/GaN LEDs with ultralow TD density and improved efficiency on a sapphire substrate, on which a near strain-free GaN compliant buffer layer was grown by remote plasma atomic layer deposition. This "compliant" buffer layer is capable of relaxing strain due to the absorption of misfit dislocations in a region within ~10 nm from the interface, leading to a high-quality overlying GaN epilayer with an unusual TD density as low as 2.2 × 10(5) cm(-2). In addition, this GaN compliant buffer layer exhibits excellent uniformity up to a 6" wafer, revealing a promising means to realize large-area GaN hetero-epitaxy for efficient LEDs and high-power transistors.

Doping and compensation in Al-rich AlGaN grown on single crystal AlN and sapphire by MOCVD

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bryan, Isaac; Bryan, Zachary; Washiyama, Shun; Reddy, Pramod; Gaddy, Benjamin; Sarkar, Biplab; Breckenridge, M. Hayden; Guo, Qiang; Bobea, Milena; Tweedie, James; Mita, Seiji; Irving, Douglas; Collazo, Ramon; Sitar, Zlatko

2018-02-01

In order to understand the influence of dislocations on doping and compensation in Al-rich AlGaN, thin films were grown by metal organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) on different templates on sapphire and low dislocation density single crystalline AlN. AlGaN grown on AlN exhibited the highest conductivity, carrier concentration, and mobility for any doping concentration due to low threading dislocation related compensation and reduced self-compensation. The onset of self-compensation, i.e., the "knee behavior" in conductivity, was found to depend only on the chemical potential of silicon, strongly indicating the cation vacancy complex with Si as the source of self-compensation. However, the magnitude of self-compensation was found to increase with an increase in dislocation density, and consequently, AlGaN grown on AlN substrates demonstrated higher conductivity over the entire doping range.

Graphene oxide assisted synthesis of GaN nanostructures for reducing cell adhesion.

PubMed

Yang, Rong; Zhang, Ying; Li, Jingying; Han, Qiusen; Zhang, Wei; Lu, Chao; Yang, Yanlian; Dong, Hongwei; Wang, Chen

2013-11-21

We report a general approach for the synthesis of large-scale gallium nitride (GaN) nanostructures by the graphene oxide (GO) assisted chemical vapor deposition (CVD) method. A modulation effect of GaN nanostructures on cell adhesion has been observed. The morphology of the GaN surface can be controlled by GO concentrations. This approach, which is based on the predictable choice of the ratio of GO to catalysts, can be readily extended to the synthesis of other materials with controllable nanostructures. Cell studies show that GaN nanostructures reduced cell adhesion significantly compared to GaN flat surfaces. The cell-repelling property is related to the nanostructure and surface wettability. These observations of the modulation effect on cell behaviors suggest new opportunities for novel GaN nanomaterial-based biomedical devices. We believe that potential applications will emerge in the biomedical and biotechnological fields.

Lattice distortions in GaN on sapphire using the CBED-HOLZ technique.

PubMed

Sridhara Rao, D V; McLaughlin, K; Kappers, M J; Humphreys, C J

2009-09-01

The convergent beam electron diffraction (CBED) methodology was developed to investigate the lattice distortions in wurtzite gallium nitride (GaN) from a single zone-axis pattern. The methodology enabled quantitative measurements of lattice distortions (alpha, beta, gamma and c) in transmission electron microscope (TEM) specimens of a GaN film grown on (0,0,0,1) sapphire by metal-organic vapour-phase epitaxy. The CBED patterns were obtained at different distances from the GaN/sapphire interface. The results show that GaN is triclinic above the interface with an increased lattice parameter c. At 0.85 microm from the interface, alpha=90 degrees , beta=8905 degrees and gamma=11966 degrees . The GaN lattice relaxes steadily back to hexagonal further away from the sapphire substrate. The GaN distortions are mainly confined to the initial stages of growth involving the growth and the coalescence of 3D GaN islands.

Piezo-generator integrating a vertical array of GaN nanowires.

PubMed

Jamond, N; Chrétien, P; Houzé, F; Lu, L; Largeau, L; Maugain, O; Travers, L; Harmand, J C; Glas, F; Lefeuvre, E; Tchernycheva, M; Gogneau, N

2016-08-12

We demonstrate the first piezo-generator integrating a vertical array of GaN nanowires (NWs). We perform a systematic multi-scale analysis, going from single wire properties to macroscopic device fabrication and characterization, which allows us to establish for GaN NWs the relationship between the material properties and the piezo-generation, and to propose an efficient piezo-generator design. The piezo-conversion of individual MBE-grown p-doped GaN NWs in a dense array is assessed by atomic force microscopy (AFM) equipped with a Resiscope module yielding an average output voltage of 228 ± 120 mV and a maximum value of 350 mV generated per NW. In the case of p-doped GaN NWs, the piezo-generation is achieved when a positive piezo-potential is created inside the nanostructures, i.e. when the NWs are submitted to compressive deformation. The understanding of the piezo-generation mechanism in our GaN NWs, gained from AFM analyses, is applied to design a piezo-generator operated under compressive strain. The device consists of NW arrays of several square millimeters in size embedded into spin-on glass with a Schottky contact for rectification and collection of piezo-generated carriers. The generator delivers a maximum power density of ∼12.7 mW cm(-3). This value sets the new state of the art for piezo-generators based on GaN NWs and more generally on nitride NWs, and offers promising prospects for the use of GaN NWs as high-efficiency ultra-compact energy harvesters.

Spin injection in epitaxial MnGa(111)/GaN(0001) heterostructures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zube, Christian; Malindretos, Joerg; Watschke, Lars; Zamani, Reza R.; Disterheft, David; Ulbrich, Rainer G.; Rizzi, Angela; Iza, Michael; Keller, Stacia; DenBaars, Steven P.

2018-01-01

Ferromagnetic MnGa(111) layers were grown on GaN(0001) by molecular beam epitaxy. MnGa/GaN Schottky diodes with a doping level of around n = 7 × 1018 cm-3 were fabricated to achieve single step tunneling across the metal/semiconductor junction. Below the GaN layer, a thin InGaN quantum well served as optical spin detector ("spin-LED"). For electron spin injection from MnGa into GaN and subsequent spin transport through a 45 nm (70 nm) thick GaN layer, we observe a circular polarization of 0.3% (0.2%) in the electroluminescence at 80 K. Interface mixing, spin polarization losses during electrical transport in the GaN layer, and spin relaxation in the InGaN quantum well are discussed in relation with the low value of the optically detected spin polarization.

Determination of carrier diffusion length in p- and n-type GaN

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hafiz, Shopan; Metzner, Sebastian; Zhang, Fan; Monavarian, Morteza; Avrutin, Vitaliy; Morkoç, Hadis; Karbaum, Christopher; Bertram, Frank; Christen, Jürgen; Gil, Bernard; Özgür, Ümit

2014-03-01

Diffusion lengths of photo-excited carriers along the c-direction were determined from photoluminescence (PL) measurements in p- and n-type GaN epitaxial layers grown on c-plane sapphire by metal-organic chemical vapor deposition. The investigated samples incorporate a 6 nm thick In0.15Ga0.85N active layer capped with either 500 nm p- GaN or 1300 nm n-GaN. The top GaN layers were etched in steps and PL from the InGaN active region and the underlying layers was monitored as a function of the top GaN thickness upon photogeneration near the surface region by above bandgap excitation. Taking into consideration the absorption in the active and underlying layers, the diffusion lengths at 295 K and at 15 K were measured to be about 92 ± 7 nm and 68 ± 7 nm for Mg-doped p-type GaN and 432 ± 30 nm and 316 ± 30 nm for unintentionally doped n-type GaN, respectively. Cross-sectional cathodoluminescence line-scan measurement was performed on a separate sample and the diffusion length in n-type GaN was measured to be 280 nm.

Reducing Mg acceptor activation-energy in Al(0.83)Ga(0.17)N disorder alloy substituted by nanoscale (AlN)₅/(GaN)₁ superlattice using Mg(Ga) δ-doping: Mg local-structure effect.

PubMed

Zhong, Hong-xia; Shi, Jun-jie; Zhang, Min; Jiang, Xin-he; Huang, Pu; Ding, Yi-min

2014-10-23

Improving p-type doping efficiency in Al-rich AlGaN alloys is a worldwide problem for the realization of AlGaN-based deep ultraviolet optoelectronic devices. In order to solve this problem, we calculate Mg acceptor activation energy and investigate its relationship with Mg local structure in nanoscale (AlN)5/(GaN)1 superlattice (SL), a substitution for Al(0.83)Ga(0.17)N disorder alloy, using first-principles calculations. A universal picture to reduce acceptor activation energy in wide-gap semiconductors is given for the first time. By reducing the volume of the acceptor local structure slightly, its activation energy can be decreased remarkably. Our results show that Mg acceptor activation energy can be reduced significantly from 0.44 eV in Al(0.83)Ga(0.17)N disorder alloy to 0.26 eV, very close to the Mg acceptor activation energy in GaN, and a high hole concentration in the order of 10(19) cm(-3) can be obtained in (AlN)5/(GaN)1 SL by Mg(Ga) δ-doping owing to GaN-monolayer modulation. We thus open up a new way to reduce Mg acceptor activation energy and increase hole concentration in Al-rich AlGaN.

Autonomic nervous system involvement in the giant axonal neuropathy (GAN) KO mouse: implications for human disease.

PubMed

Armao, Diane; Bailey, Rachel M; Bouldin, Thomas W; Kim, Yongbaek; Gray, Steven J

2016-08-01

Giant axonal neuropathy (GAN) is an inherited severe sensorimotor neuropathy. The aim of this research was to investigate the neuropathologic features and clinical autonomic nervous system (ANS) phenotype in two GAN knockout (KO) mouse models. Little is known about ANS involvement in GAN in humans, but autonomic signs and symptoms are commonly reported in early childhood. Routine histology and immunohistochemistry was performed on GAN KO mouse specimens taken at various ages. Enteric dysfunction was assessed by quantifying the frequency, weight, and water content of defecation in GAN KO mice. Histological examination of the enteric, parasympathetic and sympathetic ANS of GAN KO mice revealed pronounced and widespread neuronal perikaryal intermediate filament inclusions. These neuronal inclusions served as an easily identifiable, early marker of GAN in young GAN KO mice. Functional studies identified an age-dependent alteration in fecal weight and defecation frequency in GAN KO mice. For the first time in the GAN KO mouse model, we described the early, pronounced and widespread neuropathologic features involving the ANS. In addition, we provided evidence for a clinical autonomic phenotype in GAN KO mice, reflected in abnormal gastrointestinal function. These findings in GAN KO mice suggest that consideration should be given to ANS involvement in human GAN, especially when considering treatments and patient care.

The controlled growth of GaN nanowires.

PubMed

Hersee, Stephen D; Sun, Xinyu; Wang, Xin

2006-08-01

This paper reports a scalable process for the growth of high-quality GaN nanowires and uniform nanowire arrays in which the position and diameter of each nanowire is precisely controlled. The approach is based on conventional metalorganic chemical vapor deposition using regular precursors and requires no additional metal catalyst. The location, orientation, and diameter of each GaN nanowire are controlled using a thin, selective growth mask that is patterned by interferometric lithography. It was found that use of a pulsed MOCVD process allowed the nanowire diameter to remain constant after the nanowires had emerged from the selective growth mask. Vertical GaN nanowire growth rates in excess of 2 mum/h were measured, while remarkably the diameter of each nanowire remained constant over the entire (micrometer) length of the nanowires. The paper reports transmission electron microscopy and photoluminescence data.

Cubic crystalline erbium oxide growth on GaN(0001) by atomic layer deposition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Pei-Yu; Posadas, Agham B.; Kwon, Sunah; Wang, Qingxiao; Kim, Moon J.; Demkov, Alexander A.; Ekerdt, John G.

2017-12-01

Growth of crystalline Er2O3, a rare earth sesquioxide, on GaN(0001) is described. Ex situ HCl and NH4OH solutions and an in situ N2 plasma are used to remove impurities on the GaN surface and result in a Ga/N stoichiometry of 1.02. Using atomic layer deposition with erbium tris(isopropylcyclopentadienyl) [Er(iPrCp)3] and water, crystalline cubic Er2O3 (C-Er2O3) is grown on GaN at 250 °C. The orientation relationships between the C-Er2O3 film and the GaN substrate are C-Er2O3(222) ǁ GaN(0001), C-Er2O3⟨-440⟩ ǁ GaN ⟨11-20⟩, and C-Er2O3⟨-211⟩ ǁ GaN ⟨1-100⟩. Scanning transmission electron microscopy and electron energy loss spectroscopy are used to examine the microstructure of C-Er2O3 and its interface with GaN. With post-deposition annealing at 600 °C, a thicker interfacial layer is observed, and two transition layers, crystalline GaNwOz and crystalline GaErxOy, are found between GaN and C-Er2O3. The tensile strain in the C-Er2O3 film is studied with x-ray diffraction by changes in both out-of-plane and in-plane d-spacing. Fully relaxed C-Er2O3 films on GaN are obtained when the film thickness is around 13 nm. Additionally, a valence band offset of 0.7 eV and a conduction band offset of 1.2 eV are obtained using x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy.

Growth of hierarchical GaN nanowires for optoelectronic device applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Raj, Rishabh; Vignesh, Veeramuthu; Ra, Yong-Ho; Nirmala, Rajkumar; Lee, Cheul-Ro; Navamathavan, Rangaswamy

2017-01-01

Gallium nitride nanostructures have been receiving considerable attention as building blocks for nanophotonic technologies due to their unique high aspect ratios, promising the realization of photonic and biological nanodevices such as blue light emitting diodes (LEDs), short-wavelength ultraviolet nanolasers, and nanofluidic biochemical sensors. We report on the growth of hierarchical GaN nanowires (NWs) by dynamically adjusting the growth parameters using the pulsed flow metal-organic chemical vapor deposition technique. We carried out two step growth processes to grow hierarchical GaN NWs. In the first step, the GaN NWs were grown at 950°C, and in the second, we suitably decreased the growth temperature to 630°C and 710°C to grow the hierarchical structures. The surface morphology and optical characterization of the grown GaN NWs were studied by field-emission scanning electron microscopy, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, photoluminescence, and cathodoluminescence measurements. These kinds of hierarchical GaN NWs are promising for allowing flat band quantum structures that are shown to improve the efficiency of LEDs.

Electron spin relaxation in two polymorphic structures of GaN

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kang, Nam Lyong

2015-03-01

The relaxation process of electron spin in systems of electrons interacting with piezoelectric deformation phonons that are mediated through spin-orbit interactions was interpreted from a microscopic point of view using the formula for the electron spin relaxation times derived by a projection-reduction method. The electron spin relaxation times in two polymorphic structures of GaN were calculated. The piezoelectric material constant for the wurtzite structure obtained by a comparison with a previously reported experimental result was {{P}pe}=1.5 × {{10}29} eV {{m}-1}. The temperature and magnetic field dependence of the relaxation times for both wurtzite and zinc-blende structures were similar, but the relaxation times in zinc-blende GaN were smaller and decreased more rapidly with increasing temperature and magnetic field than that in wurtzite GaN. This study also showed that the electron spin relaxation for wurtzite GaN at low density could be explained by the Elliot-Yafet process but not for zinc-blende GaN in the metallic regime.

Use of GaN as a Scintillating Ionizing Radiation Detector

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wensman, Johnathan; Guardala, Noel; Mathur, Veerendra; Alasagas, Leslie; Vanhoy, Jeffrey; Statham, John; Marron, Daniel; Millett, Marshall; Marsh, Jarrod; Currie, John; Price, Jack

2017-09-01

Gallium nitride (GaN) is a III/V direct bandgap semiconductor which has been used in light emitting diodes (LEDs) since the 1990s. Currently, due to a potential for increased efficiency, GaN is being investigated as a replacement for silicon in power electronics finding potential uses ranging from data centers to electric vehicles. In addition to LEDs and power electronics though, doped GaN can be used as a gamma insensitive fast neutron detector due to the direct band-gap, light propagation properties, and response to ionizing radiations. Investigation of GaN as a semiconductor scintillator for use in a radiation detection system involves mapping the response function of the detector crystal over a range of photon and neutron energies, and measurements of light generation in the GaN crystal due to proton, alpha, and nitrogen projectiles. In this presentation we discuss the measurements made to date, and plausible interpretations of the response functions. This work funded in part by the Naval Surface Warfare Center, Carderock Division In-house Laboratory Independent Research program.

GaN-Based Detector Enabling Technology for Next Generation Ultraviolet Planetary Missions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Aslam, S.; Gronoff, G.; Hewagama, T.; Janz, S.; Kotecki, C.

2012-01-01

The ternary alloy AlN-GaN-InN system provides several distinct advantages for the development of UV detectors for future planetary missions. First, (InN), (GaN) and (AlN) have direct bandgaps 0.8, 3.4 and 6.2 eV, respectively, with corresponding wavelength cutoffs of 1550 nm, 365 nm and 200 nm. Since they are miscible with each other, these nitrides form complete series of indium gallium nitride (In(sub l-x)Ga(sub x)N) and aluminum gallium nitride (Al(sub l-x)Ga(sub x)N) alloys thus allowing the development of detectors with a wavelength cut-off anywhere in this range. For the 2S0-365 nm spectral wavelength range AlGaN detectors can be designed to give a 1000x solar radiation rejection at cut-off wavelength of 325 nm, than can be achieved with Si based detectors. For tailored wavelength cut-offs in the 365-4S0 nm range, InGaN based detectors can be fabricated, which still give 20-40x better solar radiation rejection than Si based detectors. This reduced need for blocking filters greatly increases the Detective Quantum efficiency (DQE) and simplifies the instrument's optical systems. Second, the wide direct bandgap reduces the thermally generated dark current to levels allowing many observations to be performed at room temperature. Third, compared to narrow bandgap materials, wide bandgap semiconductors are significantly more radiation tolerant. Finally, with the use of an (AI, In)GaN array, the overall system cost is reduced by eliminating stringent Si CCD cooling systems. Compared to silicon, GaN based detectors have superior QE based on a direct bandgap and longer absorption lengths in the UV.

Ion implantation damage, annealing and dopant activation in epitaxial gallium nitride

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Suvkhanov, Agajan

2001-07-01

Successful n- and p-doping of GaN is an extremely important technological problem. More recently, ion implantation has been used to achieve both n- and p-type GaN. The ion implantation process is accompanied by the presence of radiation defects as the result of the ion-solid interactions. The temperatures (above 1000°C) required for recovery of the implantation induced damage and dopant activation strongly affect the GaN's surface integrity due to the significant nitrogen vapor pressure. Preservation of the surface integrity of GaN during high temperature post-implantation annealing is one of the key issues in the fabrication of GaN-based light-emitting devices. The radiation damage build-up in the implanted GaN layers has been investigated as a function of ion dose and the substrate's temperature. Results of measurements of structural damage by the Rutherford backscattering/Channeling (RBS/C) and the spectroscopic ellipsometry (SE) techniques have demonstrated the complex nature of the damage build-up. Analysis of GaN implanted at high temperature has demonstrated the presence of competing processes of layer-by-layer damage build-up and defect annihilation. Using a capping layer and annealing in a sealed quartz capsule filled with dry nitrogen can preserve the integrity of the GaN's surface. In this work the ion-implanted GaN samples were capped with 40 run MOCVD (Metal Organic Chemical Vapor Deposition) grown AlN film prior to annealing. The results of this work showed the advantage of high-temperature annealing of implanted GaN in a quartz capsule with nitrogen ambient, as compared with annealing in argon and nitrogen gas flow. Partial to complete decomposition of the AlN cap and underlying GaN has been observed by RBS/C and SEM (Scanning electron microscopy) for the samples annealed in flowing argon, as well as for the samples processed in flowing nitrogen. Encapsulation with nitrogen overpressure prevented the decomposition of the AlN capping film and the GaN

Active zinc-blende III-nitride photonic structures on silicon

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sergent, Sylvain; Kako, Satoshi; Bürger, Matthias; Blumenthal, Sarah; Iwamoto, Satoshi; As, Donat Josef; Arakawa, Yasuhiko

2016-01-01

We use a layer transfer method to fabricate free-standing photonic structures in a zinc-blende AlN epilayer grown by plasma-assisted molecular beam epitaxy on a 3C-SiC pseudosubstrate and containing GaN quantum dots. The method leads to the successful realization of microdisks, nanobeam photonic crystal cavities, and waveguides integrated on silicon (100) and operating at short wavelengths. We assess the quality of such photonic elements by micro-photoluminescence spectroscopy in the visible and ultraviolet ranges, and extract the absorption coefficient of ZB AlN membranes (α ˜ (2-5) × 102 cm-1).

Anisotropic carrier mobility in buckled two-dimensional GaN.

PubMed

Tong, Lijia; He, Junjie; Yang, Min; Chen, Zheng; Zhang, Jing; Lu, Yanli; Zhao, Ziyuan

2017-08-30

Developing nanoelectronic engineering requires two-dimensional (2d) materials with both usable carrier mobility and proper large band-gap. In this study, we present a detailed theoretical investigation of the intrinsic carrier mobilities of buckled 2d GaN. This buckled 2d GaN is accessed by hydrofluorination (FGaNH) and hydrogenation (HGaNH). We predict that the anisotropic carrier mobilities of buckled 2d GaN can exceed those of 2d MoS 2 and can be altered by an alterable surface chemical bond (convert from a Ga-F-Ga bond of FGaNH to a Ga-H bond of HGaNH). Moreover, converting FGaNH to HGaNH can significantly suppress hole mobility (even close to zero) and result in a transition from a p-type-like semiconductor (FGaNH) to an n-type-like semiconductor (HGaNH). These features make buckled 2d GaN a promising candidate for application in future conductivity-adjustable electronics.

Thermal quenching of the yellow luminescence in GaN

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Reshchikov, M. A.; Albarakati, N. M.; Monavarian, M.; Avrutin, V.; Morkoç, H.

2018-04-01

We observed varying thermal quenching behavior of the yellow luminescence band near 2.2 eV in different GaN samples. In spite of the different behavior, the yellow band in all the samples is caused by the same defect—the YL1 center. In conductive n-type GaN, the YL1 band quenches with exponential law, and the Arrhenius plot reveals an ionization energy of ˜0.9 eV for the YL1 center. In semi-insulating GaN, an abrupt and tunable quenching of the YL1 band is observed, where the apparent activation energy in the Arrhenius plot is not related to the ionization energy of the defect. In this case, the ionization energy can be found by analyzing the shift of the characteristic temperature of PL quenching with excitation intensity. We conclude that only one defect, namely, the YL1 center, is responsible for the yellow band in undoped and doped GaN samples grown by different techniques.

Impact of substrate off-angle on the m-plane GaN Schottky diodes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yamada, Hisashi; Chonan, Hiroshi; Takahashi, Tokio; Shimizu, Mitsuaki

2018-04-01

We investigated the effects of the substrate off-angle on the m-plane GaN Schottky diodes. GaN epitaxial layers were grown by metal-organic chemical vapor deposition on m-plane GaN substrates having an off-angle of 0.1, 1.1, 1.7, or 5.1° toward [000\\bar{1}]. The surface of the GaN epitaxial layers on the 0.1°-off substrate consisted of pyramidal hillocks and contained oxygen (>1017 cm-3) and carbon (>1016 cm-3) impurities. The residual carbon and oxygen impurities decreased to <1016 cm-3 when the off-angle of the m-plane GaN substrate was increased. The leakage current of the 0.1°-off m-plane GaN Schottky diodes originated from the +c facet of the pyramidal hillocks. The leakage current was efficiently suppressed through the use of an off-angle that was observed to be greater than 1.1°. The off-angle of the m-plane GaN substrate is critical in obtaining high-performance Schottky diodes.

Chemical lift-off of (11-22) semipolar GaN using periodic triangular cavities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jeon, Dae-Woo; Lee, Seung-Jae; Jeong, Tak; Baek, Jong Hyeob; Park, Jae-Woo; Jang, Lee-Woon; Kim, Myoung; Lee, In-Hwan; Ju, Jin-Woo

2012-01-01

Chemical lift-off of (11-22) semipolar GaN using triangular cavities was investigated. The (11-22) semipolar GaN was grown using epitaxial lateral overgrowth by metal-organic chemical vapor deposition on m-plane sapphire, in such a way as to keep N terminated surface of c-plane GaN exposed in the cavities. After regrowing 300 μm thick (11-22) semipolar GaN by hydride vapor phase epitaxy for a free-standing (11-22) semipolar GaN substrate, the triangular cavities of the templates were chemically etched in molten KOH. The (000-2) plane in the triangular cavities can be etched in the [0002] direction with the high lateral etching rate of 196 μm/min. The resulting free-standing (11-22) semipolar GaN substrate was confirmed to be strain-free by the Raman analysis.

High-quality AlN film grown on a nanosized concave-convex surface sapphire substrate by metalorganic vapor phase epitaxy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yoshikawa, Akira; Nagatomi, Takaharu; Morishita, Tomohiro; Iwaya, Motoaki; Takeuchi, Tetsuya; Kamiyama, Satoshi; Akasaki, Isamu

2017-10-01

We developed a method for fabricating high-crystal-quality AlN films by combining a randomly distributed nanosized concavo-convex sapphire substrate (NCC-SS) and a three-step growth method optimized for NCC-SS, i.e., a 3-nm-thick nucleation layer (870 °C), a 150-nm-thick high-temperature layer (1250 °C), and a 3.2-μm-thick medium-temperature layer (1110 °C). The NCC-SS is easily fabricated using a conventional metalorganic vapor phase epitaxy reactor equipped with a showerhead plate. The resultant AlN film has a crack-free and single-step surface with a root-mean-square roughness of 0.5 nm. The full-widths at half-maxima of the X-ray rocking curve were 50/250 arcsec for the (0002)/(10-12) planes, revealing that the NCC surface is critical for achieving such a high-quality film. Hexagonal-pyramid-shaped voids at the AlN/NCC-SS interface and confinement of dislocations within the 150-nm-thick high-temperature layer were confirmed. The NCC surface feature and resultant faceted voids play an important role in the growth of high-crystal-quality AlN films, likely via localized and/or disordered growth of AlN at the initial stage, contributing to the alignment of high-crystal-quality nuclei and dislocations.

Development of III-nitride semiconductors by molecular beam epitaxy and cluster beam epitaxy and fabrication of LEDs based on indium gallium nitride MQWs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Tai-Chou Papo

The family of III-Nitrides (the binaries InN, GaN, AIN, and their alloys) is one of the most important classes of semiconductor materials. Of the three, Indium Nitride (InN) and Aluminum Nitride (AIN) have been investigated much less than Gallium Nitride (GaN). However, both of these materials are important for optoelectronic infrared and ultraviolet devices. In particular, since InN was found recently to be a narrow gap semiconductor (Eg=0.7eV), its development should extend the applications of nitride semiconductors to the spectral region appropriate to fiber optics communication and photovoltaic applications. Similarly, the development of AIN should lead to deep UV light emitting diodes (LEDs). The first part of this work addresses the evaluation of structural, optical and transport properties of InN films grown by two different deposition methods. In one method, active nitrogen was produced in the form of nitrogen radicals by a radio frequency (RF) plasma-assisted source. In an alternative method, active nitrogen was produced in the form of clusters containing approximately 2000 nitrogen molecules. These clusters were produced by adiabatic expansion from high stagnation pressure through a narrow nozzle into vacuum. The clusters were singly or doubly ionized with positive charge by electron impact and accelerated up to approximately 20 to 25 KV prior to their disintegration on the substrate. Due to the high local temperature produced during the impact of clusters with the substrate, this method is suitable for the deposition of InN at very low temperatures. The films are auto-doped n-type with carrier concentrations varying from 3 x 1018 to 1020 cm-3 and the electron effective mass of these films was determined to be 0.09m0. The majority of the AIN films was grown by the cluster beam epitaxy method and was doped n- and p- type by incorporating silicon (Si) and magnesium (Mg) during the film deposition. All films were grown under Al-rich conditions at relatively

Specific peptide for functionalization of GaN

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Estephan, E.; Larroque, C.; Cloitre, T.; Cuisinier, F. J. G.; Gergely, C.

2008-04-01

Nanobiotechnology aims to exploit biomolecular recognition and self-assembly capabilities for integrating advanced materials into medicine and biology. However frequent problems are encountered at the interface of substrate-biological molecule, as the direct physical adsorption of biological molecules is dependent of unpredictable non-specific interactions with the surface, often causing their denaturation. Therefore, a proper functionalization of the substrate should avoid a loss of biological activity. In this work we address the functionalization of the semiconductor GaN (0001) for biosensing applications. The basic interest of using III-V class semiconductors is their good light emitting properties and a fair chemical stability that allows various applications of these materials. The technology chosen to elaborate GaN-specific peptides is the combinatorial phage-display method, a biological screening procedure based on affinity selection. An M13 bacteriophage library has been used to screen 10 10 different peptides against the GaN (0001) surface to finally isolate one specific peptide. The preferential attachment of the biotinylated selected peptide onto the GaN (0001), in close proximity to a surface of different chemical and structural composition has been demonstrated by fluorescence microscopy. Further physicochemical studies have been initiated to evaluate the semiconductor-peptide interface and understand the details in the specific recognition of peptides for semiconductor substrates. Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy in Attenuated Total Reflection mode (FTIR-ATR) has been employed to prove the presence of peptides on the surface. Our Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) studies on the morphology of the GaN surface after functionalization revealed a total surface coverage by a very thin, homogeneous peptide layer. Due to its good biocompatibility, functionalized GaN devices might evolve in a new class of implantable biosensors for medical applications.

Dislocation filtering in GaN nanostructures.

PubMed

Colby, Robert; Liang, Zhiwen; Wildeson, Isaac H; Ewoldt, David A; Sands, Timothy D; García, R Edwin; Stach, Eric A

2010-05-12

Dislocation filtering in GaN by selective area growth through a nanoporous template is examined both by transmission electron microscopy and numerical modeling. These nanorods grow epitaxially from the (0001)-oriented GaN underlayer through the approximately 100 nm thick template and naturally terminate with hexagonal pyramid-shaped caps. It is demonstrated that for a certain window of geometric parameters a threading dislocation growing within a GaN nanorod is likely to be excluded by the strong image forces of the nearby free surfaces. Approximately 3000 nanorods were examined in cross-section, including growth through 50 and 80 nm diameter pores. The very few threading dislocations not filtered by the template turn toward a free surface within the nanorod, exiting less than 50 nm past the base of the template. The potential active region for light-emitting diode devices based on these nanorods would have been entirely free of threading dislocations for all samples examined. A greater than 2 orders of magnitude reduction in threading dislocation density can be surmised from a data set of this size. A finite element-based implementation of the eigenstrain model was employed to corroborate the experimentally observed data and examine a larger range of potential nanorod geometries, providing a simple map of the different regimes of dislocation filtering for this class of GaN nanorods. These results indicate that nanostructured semiconductor materials are effective at eliminating deleterious extended defects, as necessary to enhance the optoelectronic performance and device lifetimes compared to conventional planar heterostructures.

Superconductivity of Ca2 InN with a layered structure embedding an anionic indium chain array

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jeong, Sehoon; Matsuishi, Satoru; Lee, Kimoon; Toda, Yoshitake; Wng Kim, Sung; Hosono, Hideo

2014-05-01

We report the emergence of superconductivity in Ca2InN consisting of a two-dimensional (2D) array of zigzag indium chains embedded between Ca2N layers. A sudden drop of resistivity and a specific heat (Cp) jump attributed to the superconducting transition were observed at 0.6 K. The Sommerfeld coefficient γ = 4.24 mJ mol-1K-2 and Debye temperature ΘD = 322 K were determined from the Cp of the normal conducting state and the superconducting volume fraction was estimated to be ˜80% from the Cp jump, assuming a BCS-type weak coupling. Density functional theory calculations demonstrated that the electronic bands near the Fermi level (EF) are mainly derived from In 5p orbitals with π and σ bonding states and the Fermi surface is composed of cylindrical parts, corresponding to the quasi-2D electronic state of the In-chain array. By integrating the projected density of states of the In-p component up to EF, a valence electron population of ˜1.6 electrons/In was calculated, indicating that partially anionic state of In. The In 3d binding energies observed in Ca2InN by x-ray photoemission spectroscopy were negatively shifted from that in In metal. The superconductivity of Ca2InN is associated with the p-p bonding states of the anionic In layer.

Kinetic-limited etching of magnesium doping nitrogen polar GaN in potassium hydroxide solution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jiang, Junyan; Zhang, Yuantao; Chi, Chen; Yang, Fan; Li, Pengchong; Zhao, Degang; Zhang, Baolin; Du, Guotong

2016-01-01

KOH based wet etchings were performed on both undoped and Mg-doped N-polar GaN films grown by metal-organic chemical vapor deposition. It is found that the etching rate for Mg-doped N-polar GaN gets slow obviously compared with undoped N-polar GaN. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis proved that Mg oxide formed on N-polar GaN surface is insoluble in KOH solution so that kinetic-limited etching occurs as the etching process goes on. The etching process model of Mg-doped N-polar GaN in KOH solution is tentatively purposed using a simplified ideal atomic configuration. Raman spectroscopy analysis reveals that Mg doping can induce tensile strain in N-polar GaN films. Meanwhile, p-type N-polar GaN film with a hole concentration of 2.4 ÿ 1017 cm⿿3 was obtained by optimizing bis-cyclopentadienyl magnesium flow rates.

High-quality AlN epitaxy on nano-patterned sapphire substrates prepared by nano-imprint lithography.

PubMed

Zhang, Lisheng; Xu, Fujun; Wang, Jiaming; He, Chenguang; Guo, Weiwei; Wang, Mingxing; Sheng, Bowen; Lu, Lin; Qin, Zhixin; Wang, Xinqiang; Shen, Bo

2016-11-04

We report epitaxial growth of AlN films with atomically flat surface on nano-patterned sapphire substrates (NPSS) prepared by nano-imprint lithography. The crystalline quality can be greatly improved by using the optimized 1-μm-period NPSS. The X-ray diffraction ω-scan full width at half maximum values for (0002) and (102) reflections are 171 and 205 arcsec, respectively. The optimized NPSS contribute to eliminating almost entirely the threading dislocations (TDs) originating from the AlN/sapphire interface via bending the dislocations by image force from the void sidewalls before coalescence. In addition, reducing the misorientations of the adjacent regions during coalescence adopting the low lateral growth rate is also essential for decreasing TDs in the upper AlN epilayer.

High-quality AlN epitaxy on nano-patterned sapphire substrates prepared by nano-imprint lithography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Lisheng; Xu, Fujun; Wang, Jiaming; He, Chenguang; Guo, Weiwei; Wang, Mingxing; Sheng, Bowen; Lu, Lin; Qin, Zhixin; Wang, Xinqiang; Shen, Bo

2016-11-01

We report epitaxial growth of AlN films with atomically flat surface on nano-patterned sapphire substrates (NPSS) prepared by nano-imprint lithography. The crystalline quality can be greatly improved by using the optimized 1-μm-period NPSS. The X-ray diffraction ω-scan full width at half maximum values for (0002) and (102) reflections are 171 and 205 arcsec, respectively. The optimized NPSS contribute to eliminating almost entirely the threading dislocations (TDs) originating from the AlN/sapphire interface via bending the dislocations by image force from the void sidewalls before coalescence. In addition, reducing the misorientations of the adjacent regions during coalescence adopting the low lateral growth rate is also essential for decreasing TDs in the upper AlN epilayer.

High-quality AlN epitaxy on nano-patterned sapphire substrates prepared by nano-imprint lithography

PubMed Central

Zhang, Lisheng; Xu, Fujun; Wang, Jiaming; He, Chenguang; Guo, Weiwei; Wang, Mingxing; Sheng, Bowen; Lu, Lin; Qin, Zhixin; Wang, Xinqiang; Shen, Bo

2016-01-01

We report epitaxial growth of AlN films with atomically flat surface on nano-patterned sapphire substrates (NPSS) prepared by nano-imprint lithography. The crystalline quality can be greatly improved by using the optimized 1-μm-period NPSS. The X-ray diffraction ω-scan full width at half maximum values for (0002) and (102) reflections are 171 and 205 arcsec, respectively. The optimized NPSS contribute to eliminating almost entirely the threading dislocations (TDs) originating from the AlN/sapphire interface via bending the dislocations by image force from the void sidewalls before coalescence. In addition, reducing the misorientations of the adjacent regions during coalescence adopting the low lateral growth rate is also essential for decreasing TDs in the upper AlN epilayer. PMID:27812006

Nanostructural engineering of nitride nucleation layers for GaN substrate dislocation reduction.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Koleske, Daniel David; Lee, Stephen Roger; Lemp, Thomas Kerr

2009-07-01

With no lattice matched substrate available, sapphire continues as the substrate of choice for GaN growth, because of its reasonable cost and the extensive prior experience using it as a substrate for GaN. Surprisingly, the high dislocation density does not appear to limit UV and blue LED light intensity. However, dislocations may limit green LED light intensity and LED lifetime, especially as LEDs are pushed to higher current density for high end solid state lighting sources. To improve the performance for these higher current density LEDs, simple growth-enabled reductions in dislocation density would be highly prized. GaN nucleation layers (NLs)more » are not commonly thought of as an application of nano-structural engineering; yet, these layers evolve during the growth process to produce self-assembled, nanometer-scale structures. Continued growth on these nuclei ultimately leads to a fully coalesced film, and we show in this research program that their initial density is correlated to the GaN dislocation density. In this 18 month program, we developed MOCVD growth methods to reduce GaN dislocation densities on sapphire from 5 x 10{sup 8} cm{sup -2} using our standard delay recovery growth technique to 1 x 10{sup 8} cm{sup -2} using an ultra-low nucleation density technique. For this research, we firmly established a correlation between the GaN nucleation thickness, the resulting nucleation density after annealing, and dislocation density of full GaN films grown on these nucleation layers. We developed methods to reduce the nuclei density while still maintaining the ability to fully coalesce the GaN films. Ways were sought to improve the GaN nuclei orientation by improving the sapphire surface smoothness by annealing prior to the NL growth. Methods to eliminate the formation of additional nuclei once the majority of GaN nuclei were developed using a silicon nitride treatment prior to the deposition of the nucleation layer. Nucleation layer thickness was

Polarity-inverted lateral overgrowth and selective wet-etching and regrowth (PILOSWER) of GaN.

PubMed

Jang, Dongsoo; Jue, Miyeon; Kim, Donghoi; Kim, Hwa Seob; Lee, Hyunkyu; Kim, Chinkyo

2018-03-07

On an SiO 2 -patterned c-plane sapphire substrate, GaN domains were grown with their polarity controlled in accordance with the pattern. While N-polar GaN was grown on hexagonally arranged circular openings, Ga-polar GaN was laterally overgrown on mask regions due to polarity inversion occurring at the boundary of the circular openings. After etching of N-polar GaN on the circular openings by H 3 PO 4 , this template was coated with 40-nm Si by sputtering and was slightly etched by KOH. After slight etching, a thin layer of Si left on the circular openings of sapphire,but not on GaN, was oxidized during thermal annealing and served as a dielectric mask during subsequent regrowth. Thus, the subsequent growth of GaN was made only on the existing Ga-polar GaN domains, not on the circular openings of the sapphire substrate. Transmission electron microscopy analysis revealed no sign of threading dislocations in this film. This approach may help fabricating an unholed and merged GaN film physically attached to but epitaxially separated from the SiO 2 -patterned sapphire.

Deep-UV sensors based on SAW oscillators using low-temperature-grown AlN films on sapphires.

PubMed

Laksana, Chipta; Chen, Meei-Ru; Liang, Yen; Tzou, An-Jyeg; Kao, Hui-Ling; Jeng, Erik; Chen, Jyh; Chen, Hou-Guang; Jian, Sheng-Rui

2011-08-01

High-quality epitaxial AlN films were deposited on sapphire substrates at low growth temperature using a helicon sputtering system. SAW filters fabricated on the AlN films exhibited excellent characteristics, with center frequency of 354.2 MHz, which corresponds to a phase velocity of 5667 m/s. An oscillator fabricated using AlN-based SAW devices is presented and applied to deep-UV light detection. A frequency downshift of about 43 KHz was observed when the surface of SAW device was illuminated by a UV source with dominant wavelength of around 200 nm. The results indicate the feasibility of developing remote sensors for deep-UV measurement using AlN-based SAW oscillators.

Method to grow group III-nitrides on copper using passivation layers

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Li, Qiming; Wang, George T; Figiel, Jeffrey T

Group III-nitride epilayers can be grown directly on copper substrates using intermediate passivation layers. For example, single crystalline c-plane GaN can be grown on Cu (110) substrates with MOCVD. The growth relies on a low temperature AlN passivation layer to isolate any alloying reaction between Ga and Cu.

Curvature and bow of bulk GaN substrates

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Foronda, Humberto M.; Young, Erin C.; Robertson, Christian A.

2016-07-21

We investigate the bow of free standing (0001) oriented hydride vapor phase epitaxy grown GaN substrates and demonstrate that their curvature is consistent with a compressive to tensile stress gradient (bottom to top) present in the substrates. The origin of the stress gradient and the curvature is attributed to the correlated inclination of edge threading dislocation (TD) lines away from the [0001] direction. A model is proposed and a relation is derived for bulk GaN substrate curvature dependence on the inclination angle and the density of TDs. The model is used to analyze the curvature for commercially available GaN substratesmore » as determined by high resolution x-ray diffraction. The results show a close correlation between the experimentally determined parameters and those predicted from theoretical model.« less

In-plane, commensurate GaN/AlN junctions: single-layer composite structures, multiple quantum wells and quantum dots

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Durgun, Engin; Onen, Abdullatif; Kecik, Deniz; Ciraci, Salim

In-plane composite structures constructed of the stripes or core/shells of single-layer GaN and AlN, which are joined commensurately display diversity of electronic properties, that can be tuned by the size of their constituents. In heterostructures, the dimensionality of electrons change from 2D to 1D upon their confinements in wide constituent stripes leading to the type-I band alignment and hence multiple quantum well structure in the direct space. The δ-doping of one wide stripe by other narrow stripe results in local narrowing or widening of the band gap. The direct-indirect transition of the fundamental band gap of composite structures can be attained depending on the odd or even values of formula unit in the armchair edged heterojunction. In a patterned array of GaN/AlN core/shells, the dimensionality of the electronic states are reduced from 2D to 0D forming multiple quantum dots in large GaN-cores, while 2D electrons propagate in multiply connected AlN shell as if they are in a supercrystal. These predictions are obtained from first-principles calculations based on density functional theory on single-layer GaN and AlN compound semiconductors which were synthesized recently. This work was supported by the Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey (TUBITAK) under Project No 115F088.

Influence of metallic surface states on electron affinity of epitaxial AlN films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mishra, Monu; Krishna, Shibin; Aggarwal, Neha; Gupta, Govind

2017-06-01

The present article investigates surface metallic states induced alteration in the electron affinity of epitaxial AlN films. AlN films grown by plasma-assisted molecular beam epitaxy system with (30% and 16%) and without metallic aluminium on the surface were probed via photoemission spectroscopic measurements. An in-depth analysis exploring the influence of metallic aluminium and native oxide on the electronic structure of the films is performed. It was observed that the metallic states pinned the Fermi Level (FL) near valence band edge and lead to the reduction of electron affinity (EA). These metallic states initiated charge transfer and induced changes in surface and interface dipoles strength. Therefore, the EA of the films varied between 0.6-1.0 eV due to the variation in contribution of metallic states and native oxide. However, the surface barrier height (SBH) increased (4.2-3.5 eV) adversely due to the availability of donor-like surface states in metallic aluminium rich films.

Heterocyclic Acene-Diketopyrrolopyrrole Molecular Semiconductors for Efficient Solution-Processed Organic Solar Cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Loser, Stephen C.

(Al,Ga,In)N semiconductor materials are widely used in high-frequency, high-power electronics due to their wide bandgaps. Both metal- and N-polar AlGaN/GaN high-electron-mobility transistors (HEMTs) demonstrated excellent performances as high-frequency signal amplifiers. While the majority of today's III-N transistors are based on metal-polar heterostructures, N-polar materials have gained attention following the breakthrough in the deposition of high quality films. Compared to their metal-polar counterparts, N-polar HEMT structures improve the scalability of devices, increase the electron confinement and reduce contact resistance, exhibiting great potentials in high-frequency device fabrications. In order to suppress alloy scattering in the HEMT structures, a thin AlN interlayer is usually introduced between the AlGaN barrier and the GaN channel. However, a significant amount of unintentional Ga incorporation was observed in AlN films grown by metal-organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD), one of the major techniques to produce the HEMT epi structures. In the first part of my thesis, the impact of impure AlN interlayers on HEMTs was examined, explaining the significant improvement in electron mobility despite of the high Ga concentration of ˜ 50%. Moreover, both metal-polar and N-polar AlN films grown by MOCVD under various conditions were investigated, the results of which indicated that the major source of unintentional Ga was the former Ga deposition on the susceptor in the same run. It was also observed that N-polar AlN films contained less Ga compared to metal-polar ones when they were grown under same conditions. Methods to suppress the Ga were also discussed. In addition, the morphological and electrical properties of the GaN/AlN/GaN heterostructures with AlN films grown under different conditions were analyzed by atomic force microscopy (AFM) and room temperature Van der Pauw hall measurement. Following the study of AlN interlayers in the HEMT

Reduction of electron accumulation at InN(0001) surfaces via saturation of surface states by potassium and oxygen as donor- or acceptor-type adsorbates

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Eisenhardt, A.; Reiß, S.; Krischok, S., E-mail: stefan.krischok@tu-ilmenau.de

2014-01-28

The influence of selected donor- and acceptor-type adsorbates on the electronic properties of InN(0001) surfaces is investigated implementing in-situ photoelectron spectroscopy. The changes in work function, surface band alignment, and chemical bond configurations are characterized during deposition of potassium and exposure to oxygen. Although an expected opponent charge transfer characteristic is observed with potassium donating its free electron to InN, while dissociated oxygen species extract partial charge from the substrate, a reduction of the surface electron accumulation occurs in both cases. This observation can be explained by adsorbate-induced saturation of free dangling bonds at the InN resulting in the disappearancemore » of surface states, which initially pin the Fermi level and induce downward band bending.« less

Mg doping of GaN by molecular beam epitaxy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lieten, R. R.; Motsnyi, V.; Zhang, L.; Cheng, K.; Leys, M.; Degroote, S.; Buchowicz, G.; Dubon, O.; Borghs, G.

2011-04-01

We present a systematic study on the influence of growth conditions on the incorporation and activation of Mg in GaN layers grown by plasma-assisted molecular beam epitaxy. We show that high quality p-type GaN layers can be obtained on GaN-on-silicon templates. The Mg incorporation and the electrical properties have been investigated as a function of growth temperature, Ga : N flux ratio and Mg : Ga flux ratio. It was found that the incorporation of Mg and the electrical properties are highly sensitive to the Ga : N flux ratio. The highest hole mobility and lowest resistivity were achieved for slightly Ga-rich conditions. In addition to an optimal Ga : N ratio, an optimum Mg : Ga flux ratio was also observed at around 1%. We observed a clear Mg flux window for p-type doping of GaN : 0.31% < Mg : Ga < 5.0%. A lowest resistivity of 0.98 Ω cm was obtained for optimized growth conditions. The p-type GaN layer then showed a hole concentration of 4.3 × 1017 cm-3 and a mobility of 15 cm2 V-1 s-1. Temperature-dependent Hall effect measurements indicate an acceptor depth in these samples of 100 meV for a hole concentration of 5.5 × 1017 cm-3. The corresponding Mg concentration is 5 × 1019 cm-3, indicating approximately 1% activation at room temperature. In addition to continuous growth of Mg-doped GaN layers we also investigated different modulated growth procedures. We show that a modulated growth procedure has only limited influence on Mg doping at a growth temperature of 800 °C or higher. This result is thus in contrast to previously reported GaN : Mg doping at much lower growth temperatures of 500 °C.

First principles study of neutral and anionic (medium-size) aluminum nitride clusters: AlnNn, n=7-16.

PubMed

Costales, Aurora; Blanco, M A; Francisco, E; Pendas, A Martín; Pandey, Ravindra

2006-03-09

We report the results of a theoretical study of AlnNn (n=7-16) clusters that is based on density functional theory. We will focus on the evolution of structural and electronic properties with the cluster size in the stoichiometric AlN clusters considered. The results reveal that the structural and electronic properties tend to evolve toward their respective bulk limits. The rate of evolution is, however, slow due to the hollow globular shape exhibited by the clusters, which introduces large surface effects that dominate the properties studied. We will also discuss the changes induced upon addition of an extra electron to the respective neutral clusters.

Enhancement of indium incorporation to InGaN MQWs on AlN/GaN periodic multilayers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Monavarian, Morteza; Hafiz, Shopan; Das, Saikat; Izyumskaya, Natalia; Özgür, Ümit; Morkoç, Hadis; Avrutin, Vitaliy

2016-02-01

The effect of compressive strain in buffer layer on strain relaxation and indium incorporation in InGaN multi-quantum wells (MQWs) is studied for two sets of samples grown side by side on both relaxed GaN layers and strained 10-pairs of AlN/GaN periodic multilayers. The 14-nm AlN layers were utilized in both multilayers, while GaN thickness was 4.5 and 2.5 nm in the first and the second set, respectively. The obtained results for the InGaN active layers on relaxed GaN and AlN/GaN periodic multilayers indicate enhanced indium incorporation for more relaxed InGaN active layers providing a variety of emission colors from purple to green.

Influence of ammonia flow rate for improving properties of polycrystalline GaN

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ariff, A.; Ahmad, M. A.; Hassan, Z.; Zainal, N.

2018-06-01

Post-annealing treatment in ammonia ambient is widely accepted for GaN material, but less works have been done to investigate the influence of the ammonia (NH3) flow rate for reducing the N-deficiency as well as improving the quality of the material. In this work, we investigated the influence of NH3 flow rate at 1, 2, 3, and 4 slm in improving properties of a ∼1 μm thick polycrystalline GaN layer. Our simulation work suggested that the uniformity of temperature and pressure gradient of the NH3 gas did not lead to the reduction of N-deficiency of the polycrystalline GaN layer. Instead, it was found that the mitigation of the N-deficiency was strongly influenced by the fluid velocity of the NH3 gas, which had passed over the layer. Either at lower or higher fluid velocity, the chance for the active N atoms to incorporate into the GaN lattice structure was low. Therefore, the N-deficiency on the polycrystalline GaN layer could not be minimized under these conditions. As measured by EDX, the N atoms incorporation was the most effective when the NH3 flow rate at 3 slm, suggesting the flow rate significantly improved the N-deficiency of the polycrystalline GaN layer. Furthermore, it favored the formation of larger hexagonal faceted grains, with the smallest FWHM of XRD peaks from the GaN diffractions in (10 1 bar 0), (0002) and (10 1 bar 1) orientations, while allowing the polycrystalline GaN layer to show sharp and intense emissions peak of NBE in a PL spectrum.

Fabrication of GaN doped ZnO nanocrystallines by laser ablation.

PubMed

Gopalakrishnan, N; Shin, B C; Bhuvana, K P; Elanchezhiyan, J; Balasubramanian, T

2008-08-01

Here, we present the fabrication of pure and GaN doped ZnO nanocrystallines on Si(111) substrates by KrF excimer laser. The targets for the ablation have been prepared by conventional ceramic method. The fabricated nanocrystallines have been investigated by X-ray diffraction, photoluminescence and atomic force microscopy. The X-ray diffraction analysis shows that the crystalline size of pure ZnO is 36 nm and it is 41 nm while doped with 0.8 mol% of GaN due to best stoichiometry between Zn and O. Photoluminescence studies reveal that intense deep level emissions have been observed for pure ZnO and it has been suppressed for the GaN doped ZnO structures. The images of atomic force microscope show that the rms surface roughness is 27 nm for pure ZnO and the morphology is improved with decrease in rms roughness, 18 nm with fine crystallines while doped with 1 mol% GaN. The improved structural, optical and morphological properties of ZnO nanocrystalline due to GaN dopant have been discussed in detail.

Dense and high-stability Ti2AlN MAX phase coatings prepared by the combined cathodic arc/sputter technique

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Zhenyu; Liu, Jingzhou; Wang, Li; Li, Xiaowei; Ke, Peiling; Wang, Aiying

2017-02-01

Ti2AlN belongs to a family of ternary nano-laminate alloys known as the MAX phases, which exhibit a unique combination of metallic and ceramic properties. In the present work, the dense and high-stability Ti2AlN coating has been successfully prepared through the combined cathodic arc/sputter deposition, followed by heat post-treatment. It was found that the as-deposited Ti-Al-N coating behaved a multilayer structure, where (Ti, N)-rich layer and Al-rich layer grew alternately, with a mixed phase constitution of TiN and TiAlx. After annealing at 800 °C under vacuum condition for 1.5 h, although the multilayer structure still was found, part of multilayer interfaces became indistinct and disappeared. In particular, the thickness of the Al-rich layer decreased in contrast to that of as-deposited coating due to the inner diffusion of the Al element. Moreover, the Ti2AlN MAX phase emerged as the major phase in the annealed coatings and its formation mechanism was also discussed in this study. The vacuum thermal analysis indicated that the formed Ti2AlN MAX phase exhibited a high-stability, which was mainly benefited from the large thickness and the dense structure. This advanced technique based on the combined cathodic arc/sputter method could be extended to deposit other MAX phase coatings with tailored high performance like good thermal stability, high corrosion and oxidation resistance etc. for the next protective coating materials.

The investigation of stress in freestanding GaN crystals grown from Si substrates by HVPE.

PubMed

Lee, Moonsang; Mikulik, Dmitry; Yang, Mino; Park, Sungsoo

2017-08-17

We investigate the stress evolution of 400 µm-thick freestanding GaN crystals grown from Si substrates by hydride vapour phase epitaxy (HVPE) and the in situ removal of Si substrates. The stress generated in growing GaN can be tuned by varying the thickness of the MOCVD AlGaN/AlN buffer layers. Micro Raman analysis shows the presence of slight tensile stress in the freestanding GaN crystals and no stress accumulation in HVPE GaN layers during the growth. Additionally, it is demonstrated that the residual tensile stress in HVPE GaN is caused only by elastic stress arising from the crystal quality difference between Ga- and N-face GaN. TEM analysis revealed that the dislocations in freestanding GaN crystals have high inclination angles that are attributed to the stress relaxation of the crystals. We believe that the understanding and characterization on the structural properties of the freestanding GaN crystals will help us to use these crystals for high-performance opto-electronic devices.

Growth and stress-induced transformation of zinc blende AlN layers in Al-AlN-TiN multilayers

DOE PAGES

Li, Nan; Yadav, Satyesh K.; Wang, Jian; ...

2015-12-18

We report that AlN nanolayers in sputter deposited {111}Al/AlN/TiN multilayers exhibit the metastable zinc-blende-structure (z-AlN). Based on density function theory calculations, the growth of the z-AlN is ascribed to the kinetically and energetically favored nitridation of the deposited aluminium layer. In situ nanoindentation of the as-deposited {111}Al/AlN/TiN multilayers in a high-resolution transmission electron microscope revealed the z-AlN to wurzite AlN phase transformation through collective glide of Shockley partial dislocations on every two {111} planes of the z-AlN.

High-electron-mobility GaN grown on free-standing GaN templates by ammonia-based molecular beam epitaxy

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kyle, Erin C. H., E-mail: erinkyle@umail.ucsb.edu; Kaun, Stephen W.; Burke, Peter G.

2014-05-21

The dependence of electron mobility on growth conditions and threading dislocation density (TDD) was studied for n{sup −}-GaN layers grown by ammonia-based molecular beam epitaxy. Electron mobility was found to strongly depend on TDD, growth temperature, and Si-doping concentration. Temperature-dependent Hall data were fit to established transport and charge-balance equations. Dislocation scattering was analyzed over a wide range of TDDs (∼2 × 10{sup 6} cm{sup −2} to ∼2 × 10{sup 10} cm{sup −2}) on GaN films grown under similar conditions. A correlation between TDD and fitted acceptor states was observed, corresponding to an acceptor state for almost every c lattice translation along each threading dislocation. Optimizedmore » GaN growth on free-standing GaN templates with a low TDD (∼2 × 10{sup 6} cm{sup −2}) resulted in electron mobilities of 1265 cm{sup 2}/Vs at 296 K and 3327 cm{sup 2}/Vs at 113 K.« less

Si Complies with GaN to Overcome Thermal Mismatches for the Heteroepitaxy of Thick GaN on Si.

PubMed

Tanaka, Atsunori; Choi, Woojin; Chen, Renjie; Dayeh, Shadi A

2017-10-01

Heteroepitaxial growth of lattice mismatched materials has advanced through the epitaxy of thin coherently strained layers, the strain sharing in virtual and nanoscale substrates, and the growth of thick films with intermediate strain-relaxed buffer layers. However, the thermal mismatch is not completely resolved in highly mismatched systems such as in GaN-on-Si. Here, geometrical effects and surface faceting to dilate thermal stresses at the surface of selectively grown epitaxial GaN layers on Si are exploited. The growth of thick (19 µm), crack-free, and pure GaN layers on Si with the lowest threading dislocation density of 1.1 × 10 7 cm -2 achieved to date in GaN-on-Si is demonstrated. With these advances, the first vertical GaN metal-insulator-semiconductor field-effect transistors on Si substrates with low leakage currents and high on/off ratios paving the way for a cost-effective high power device paradigm on an Si CMOS platform are demonstrated. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Substitutional and interstitial oxygen in wurtzite GaN

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wright, A. F.

2005-11-01

Density-functional theory was used to compute energy-minimum configurations and formation energies of substitutional and interstitial oxygen (O) in wurtzite GaN. The results indicate that O substituted at a N site (ON) acts as a single donor with the ionized state (ON+1) being the most stable O state in p-type GaN. In n-type GaN, interstitial O (OI) is predicted to be a double acceptor and O substituted at a Ga site (OGa) is predicted to be a triple acceptor. The formation energies of these two species are comparable to that of ON in n-type GaN and, as such, they should form and compensate the ON donors. The extent of compensation was estimated for both Ga-rich and N-rich conditions with a total O concentration of 1017cm-3. Ga-rich conditions yielded negligible compensation and an ON concentration in excess of 9.9×1016cm-3. N-rich conditions yielded a 25% lower ON concentration, due to the increased stability of OI and OGa relative to ON, and moderate compensation. These findings are consistent with experimental results indicating that O acts as a donor in GaN(O). Complexes of ON with the Mg acceptor and OI with the Si donor were examined. Binding energies for charge-conserving reactions were ⩾0.5eV, indicating that these complexes can exist in equilibrium at room temperature. Complexes of ON with the Ga vacancy in n-type GaN were also examined and their binding energies were 1.2 and 1.4eV, indicating that appreciable concentrations can exist in equilibrium even at elevated temperatures.

Basic ammonothermal GaN growth in molybdenum capsules

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pimputkar, S.; Speck, J. S.; Nakamura, S.

2016-12-01

Single crystal, bulk gallium nitride (GaN) crystals were grown using the basic ammonothermal method in a high purity growth environment created using a non-hermetically sealed molybdenum (Mo) capsule and compared to growths performed in a similarly designed silver (Ag) capsule and capsule-free René 41 autoclave. Secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) analysis revealed transition metal free (<1×1017 cm-3) GaN crystals. Anomalously low oxygen concentrations ((2-6)×1018 cm-3) were measured in a {0001} seeded crystal boule grown using a Mo capsule, despite higher source material oxygen concentrations ((1-5)×1019 cm-3) suggesting that molybdenum (or molybdenum nitrides) may act to getter oxygen under certain conditions. Total system pressure profiles from growth runs in a Mo capsule system were comparable to those without a capsule, with pressures peaking within 2 days and slowly decaying due to hydrogen diffusional losses. Measured Mo capsule GaN growth rates were comparable to un-optimized growth rates in capsule-free systems and appreciably slower than in Ag-capsule systems. Crystal quality replicated that of the GaN seed crystals for all capsule conditions, with high quality growth occurring on the (0001) Ga-face. Optical absorption and impurity concentration characterization suggests reduced concentrations of hydrogenated gallium vacancies (VGa-Hx).

Oxygen adsorption and incorporation at irradiated GaN(0001) and GaN(0001¯) surfaces: First-principles density-functional calculations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sun, Qiang; Selloni, Annabella; Myers, T. H.; Doolittle, W. Alan

2006-11-01

Density functional theory calculations of oxygen adsorption and incorporation at the polar GaN(0001) and GaN(0001¯) surfaces have been carried out to explain the experimentally observed reduced oxygen concentration in GaN samples grown by molecular beam epitaxy in the presence of high energy (˜10keV) electron beam irradiation [Myers , J. Vac. Sci. Technol. B 18, 2295 (2000)]. Using a model in which the effect of the irradiation is to excite electrons from the valence to the conduction band, we find that both the energy cost of incorporating oxygen impurities in deeper layers and the oxygen adatom diffusion barriers are significantly reduced in the presence of the excitation. The latter effect leads to a higher probability for two O adatoms to recombine and desorb, and thus to a reduced oxygen concentration in the irradiated samples, consistent with experimental observations.

Macrodefect-free, large, and thick GaN bulk crystals for high-quality 2–6 in. GaN substrates by hydride vapor phase epitaxy with hardness control

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fujikura, Hajime; Konno, Taichiro; Suzuki, Takayuki; Kitamura, Toshio; Fujimoto, Tetsuji; Yoshida, Takehiro

2018-06-01

On the basis of a novel crystal hardness control, we successfully realized macrodefect-free, large (2–6 in.) and thick +c-oriented GaN bulk crystals by hydride vapor phase epitaxy. Without the hardness control, the introduction of macrodefects including inversion domains and/or basal-plane dislocations seemed to be indispensable to avoid crystal fracture in GaN growth with millimeter thickness. However, the presence of these macrodefects tended to limit the applicability of the GaN substrate to practical devices. The present technology markedly increased the GaN crystal hardness from below 20 to 22 GPa, thus increasing the available growth thickness from below 1 mm to over 6 mm even without macrodefect introduction. The 2 and 4 in. GaN wafers fabricated from these crystals had extremely low dislocation densities in the low- to mid-105 cm‑2 range and low off-angle variations (2 in.: <0.1° 4 in.: ∼0.2°). The realization of such high-quality 6 in. wafers is also expected.

Real-time growth study of plasma assisted atomic layer epitaxy of InN films by synchrotron x-ray methods

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Nepal, Neeraj; Anderson, Virginia R.; Johnson, Scooter D.

The temporal evolution of high quality indium nitride (InN) growth by plasma-assisted atomic layer epitaxy (ALEp) on a-plane sapphire at 200 and 248 °C was probed by synchrotron x-ray methods. The growth was carried out in a thin film growth facility installed at beamline X21 of the National Synchrotron Light Source at Brookhaven National Laboratory and at beamline G3 of the Cornell High Energy Synchrotron Source, Cornell University. Measurements of grazing incidence small angle x-ray scattering (GISAXS) during the initial cycles of growth revealed a broadening and scattering near the diffuse specular rod and the development of scattering intensities duemore » to half unit cell thick nucleation islands in the Yoneda wing with correlation length scale of 7.1 and 8.2 nm, at growth temperatures (Tg) of 200 and 248 °C, respectively. At about 1.1 nm (two unit cells) of growth thickness nucleation islands coarsen, grow, and the intensity of correlated scattering peak increased at the correlation length scale of 8.0 and 8.7 nm for Tg = 200 and 248 °C, respectively. The correlated peaks at both growth temperatures can be fitted with a single peak Lorentzian function, which support single mode growth. Post-growth in situ x-ray reflectivity measurements indicate a growth rate of ~0.36 Å/cycle consistent with the growth rate previously reported for self-limited InN growth in a commercial ALEp reactor. Consistent with the in situ GISAXS study, ex situ atomic force microscopy power spectral density measurements also indicate single mode growth. Electrical characterization of the resulting film revealed an electron mobility of 50 cm2/V s for a 5.6 nm thick InN film on a-plane sapphire, which is higher than the previously reported mobility of much thicker InN films grown at higher temperature by molecular beam epitaxy directly on sapphire. These early results indicated that in situ synchrotron x-ray study of the epitaxial growth kinetics of InN films is a very powerful

Deep ultraviolet photoluminescence studies of aluminum-rich aluminum gallium nitride and aluminum nitride epilayers and nanostructures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nepal, Neeraj

with experimental observation. The temperature dependent PL study of the bandedge emissions in GaN and AlN epilayers up to 800 K has been carried out, which reveals two distinctive activation processes. The first process occurring below Tt = 325 K (Tt = 500 K) for GaN (AlN) is due to the activation of free excitons to free carriers, whereas the second occurring above Tt with an activation energy of 0.29 eV (0.3 eV) for GaN (AlN) is believed to be associated with a higher lying conduction band (Gamma3) at about 0.3 eV above the conduction band minimum (Gamma1). These higher lying bands could affect device performance of GaN and AlN at elevated temperatures. Two-dimensional nanostructured AlN photonic crystals (PCs) with a varying periodicity/diameter down to 150 nm/75 nm have also been studied by deep UV PL. With PCs formation, a 20-fold enhancement in the band edge emission intensity at 208 nm over unpatterned AlN epilayer has been observed. The emission intensity increases with the decrease in the lattice constant of the AlN PCs. AlN PCs represent photonic crystals with highest (shortest) bandgap (wavelength) semiconductors, which open up new opportunities for exploring novel physical phenomena in the artificially structured photonic band gap material systems and their applications, particularly in the area of deep UV as well as nano-photonics.

Real-Time Optical Monitoring and Simulations of Gas Phase Kinetics in InN Vapor Phase Epitaxy at High Pressure

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dietz, Nikolaus; Woods, Vincent; McCall, Sonya D.; Bachmann, Klaus J.

2003-01-01

Understanding the kinetics of nucleation and coalescence of heteroepitaxial thin films is a crucial step in controlling a chemical vapor deposition process, since it defines the perfection of the heteroepitaxial film both in terms of extended defect formation and chemical integrity of the interface. The initial nucleation process also defines the film quality during the later stages of film growth. The growth of emerging new materials heterostructures such as InN or In-rich Ga(x)In(1-x)N require deposition methods operating at higher vapor densities due to the high thermal decomposition pressure in these materials. High nitrogen pressure has been demonstrated to suppress thermal decomposition of InN, but has not been applied yet in chemical vapor deposition or etching experiments. Because of the difficulty with maintaining stochiometry at elevated temperature, current knowledge regarding thermodynamic data for InN, e.g., its melting point, temperature-dependent heat capacity, heat and entropy of formation are known with far less accuracy than for InP, InAs and InSb. Also, no information exists regarding the partial pressures of nitrogen and phosphorus along the liquidus surfaces of mixed-anion alloys of InN, of which the InN(x)P(1-x) system is the most interesting option. A miscibility gap is expected for InN(x)P(1-x) pseudobinary solidus compositions, but its extent is not established at this point by experimental studies under near equilibrium conditions. The extension of chemical vapor deposition to elevated pressure is also necessary for retaining stoichiometric single phase surface composition for materials that are characterized by large thermal decomposition pressures at optimum processing temperatures.

Defects, optical absorption and electron mobility in indium and gallium nitrides

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tansley, T. L.; Egan, R. J.

1993-04-01

We review the experimental evidence for the origin and location of the four native point defects in the wide gap semiconducting indium and gallium nitrides and compare then with experimental predictions. The donor triplets associated with nitrogen vacancies and the deep compensating centres ascribed to the antisite substitutional defects appear to have the greatest effect on macroscopic properties, apparently including the four luminescent bands in GaN. Calculated mobilities in InN and GaN depend principally on ionised impurity and polar-mode phonon scattering. We reconcile these results with experimental data and point out the consequences for improvements in material growth.

Optical Probing of Low-Pressure Solution Grown GaN Crystal Properties

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-04-01

observed in Mg and Si doped epitaxial films deposited by MBE and MOCVD on freestanding GaN HVPE substrates [23–25]. Considering the purity of the precursors...bands with similar energy positions here reported, a dominant deeper acceptor impurity has been assigned to Zn , a well known deep acceptor in GaN . Room...00-00-2010 to 00-00-2010 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE Optical probing of low-pressure solution grown GaN crystal properties 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER 5b

Energy bands and acceptor binding energies of GaN

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xia, Jian-Bai; Cheah, K. W.; Wang, Xiao-Liang; Sun, Dian-Zhao; Kong, Mei-Ying

1999-04-01

The energy bands of zinc-blende and wurtzite GaN are calculated with the empirical pseudopotential method, and the pseudopotential parameters for Ga and N atoms are given. The calculated energy bands are in agreement with those obtained by the ab initio method. The effective-mass theory for the semiconductors of wurtzite structure is established, and the effective-mass parameters of GaN for both structures are given. The binding energies of acceptor states are calculated by solving strictly the effective-mass equations. The binding energies of donor and acceptor are 24 and 142 meV for the zinc-blende structure, 20 and 131, and 97 meV for the wurtzite structure, respectively, which are consistent with recent experimental results. It is proposed that there are two kinds of acceptor in wurtzite GaN. One kind is the general acceptor such as C, which substitutes N, which satisfies the effective-mass theory. The other kind of acceptor includes Mg, Zn, Cd, etc., the binding energy of these acceptors is deviated from that given by the effective-mass theory. In this report, wurtzite GaN is grown by the molecular-beam epitaxy method, and the photoluminescence spectra were measured. Three main peaks are assigned to the donor-acceptor transitions from two kinds of acceptors. Some of the transitions were identified as coming from the cubic phase of GaN, which appears randomly within the predominantly hexagonal material.

GaN: From three- to two-dimensional single-layer crystal and its multilayer van der Waals solids

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Onen, A.; Kecik, D.; Durgun, E.; Ciraci, S.

2016-02-01

Three-dimensional (3D) GaN is a III-V compound semiconductor with potential optoelectronic applications. In this paper, starting from 3D GaN in wurtzite and zinc-blende structures, we investigated the mechanical, electronic, and optical properties of the 2D single-layer honeycomb structure of GaN (g -GaN ) and its bilayer, trilayer, and multilayer van der Waals solids using density-functional theory. Based on high-temperature ab initio molecular-dynamics calculations, we first showed that g -GaN can remain stable at high temperature. Then we performed a comparative study to reveal how the physical properties vary with dimensionality. While 3D GaN is a direct-band-gap semiconductor, g -GaN in two dimensions has a relatively wider indirect band gap. Moreover, 2D g -GaN displays a higher Poisson ratio and slightly less charge transfer from cation to anion. In two dimensions, the optical-absorption spectra of 3D crystalline phases are modified dramatically, and their absorption onset energy is blueshifted. We also showed that the physical properties predicted for freestanding g -GaN are preserved when g -GaN is grown on metallic as well as semiconducting substrates. In particular, 3D layered blue phosphorus, being nearly lattice-matched to g -GaN , is found to be an excellent substrate for growing g -GaN . Bilayer, trilayer, and van der Waals crystals can be constructed by a special stacking sequence of g -GaN , and they can display electronic and optical properties that can be controlled by the number of g -GaN layers. In particular, their fundamental band gap decreases and changes from indirect to direct with an increasing number of g -GaN layers.

Droplet heteroepitaxy of zinc-blende vs. wurtzite GaN quantum dots

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Reese, C.; Jeon, S.; Hill, T.; Jones, C.; Shusterman, S.; Yacoby, Y.; Clarke, R.; Deng, H.; Goldman, Rs

We have developed a GaN droplet heteroepitaxy process based upon plasma-assisted molecular-beam epitaxy. Using various surface treatments and Ga deposition parameters, we have demonstrated polycrystalline, zinc-blende (ZB), and wurtzite (WZ) GaN quantum dots (QDs) on Si(001), r-Al2O3, Si(111), and c-GaN substrates. For the polar substrates (i.e. Si(111) and c-GaN), high-resolution transmission electron microscopy and coherent Bragg rod analysis reveals the formation of coherent WZ GaN QDs with nitridation-temperature-dependent sizes and densities. For the non-polar substrates (i.e. Si(001) and r-Al2O3) , QDs with strong near-band photoluminescence emission are observed and ZB GaN QD growth on Si(001) is demonstrated for the first time.

Growth of wide-bandgap nitride semiconductors by MBE

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moustakas, T. D.

2002-08-01

This paper reviews progress in the heteroepitaxial growth of Ill-Nitride semiconductors. The growth of wurtzite and zinc-blende allotropic forms of GaN on various substrates with hexagonal and cubic symmetry respectively were discussed. In particular we addressed the growth on the various faces of sapphire, 6H-SiC and (001) Si. It has been shown that the kinetics of growth by plasma-MBE or ammonia-MBE are different. Specifically, in plasma-assisted MBE smooth films are obtained under group-III rich conditions of growth. On the other hand in ammonia-MBE smooth films are obtained under nitrogen rich conditions of growth. High quality films were obtained on 6H-SiC without the employment of any buffer. The various nucleation steps used to improve the two dimensional growth as well as to control the film polarity were discussed. The n- and p-doping of GaN were addressed. The concept of increasing the solubility of Mg in GaN by simultaneously bombarding the surface of the growing film with a flux of electrons (co-doping GaN with Mg and electrons) was discussed. The influence of the strength of Al-N, Ga-N and In-N bonds on the kinetics of growth of nitride alloys was pointed out. Specifically, it was shown that in both the nitrogen-rich and group-III rich growth regimes, the incorporation probability of aluminum is unity for the investigated temperature range of 750-800° C. On the other hand the incorporation probability of gallium is constant but less than unity only in the nitrogen-rich regime of growth. In the group-III regime the incorporation probability of gallium decreases monotonically with the total group-III flux, due to the competition with aluminum for the available active nitrogen. Alloy phenomena such as phase separation and atomic ordering and the influence of these phenomena to the optical properties were addressed. InGaN alloys are thermodynamically unstable against phase separation. At compositions above 30% they tend to undergo partial phase separation

Study on GaN nanostructures: Growth and the suppression of the yellow emission

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Ting; Chen, Fei; Ji, Xiaohong; Zhang, Qinyuan

2018-07-01

GaN nanostructures were synthesized via a simple chemical vapor deposition using Ga2O3 and NH3 as precursors. Structural and morphological properties were systematically characterized by field emission scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffractometer, transmission electron microscopy, and Raman spectroscopy. The configuration of GaN nanostructures was found to be strongly dependent on the growth temperature and the NH3 flow rate. Photoluminescence analysis revealed that all the fabricated GaN NSs exhibited a strong ultra-violet emission (∼364 nm), and the yellow emission of GaN nanorods can be suppressed at appropriate III/V ratio. The suppression of the yellow emission was attributed to the low density of surface or the VGa defect. The work demonstrates that the GaN nanostructures have potential applications in the optoelectronic and nanoelectronic devices.

Indium hexagonal island as seed-layer to boost a-axis orientation of AlN thin films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Redjdal, N.; Salah, H.; Azzaz, M.; Menari, H.; Manseri, A.; Guedouar, B.; Garcia-Sanchez, A.; Chérif, S. M.

2018-06-01

Highly a-axis oriented aluminum nitride films have been grown on Indium coated (100) Si substrate by DC reactive magnetron sputtering. It is shown that In incorporated layer improve the extent of preferential growth along (100) axis and form dense AlN films with uniform surface and large grains, devoid of micro-cracks. As revealed by SEM cross section images, AlN structure consists of oriented columnar grains perpendicular to the Si surface, while AlN/In structure results in uniformely tilted column. SEM images also revealed the presence of In hexagonal islands persistent throughout the entire growth. Micro -Raman spectroscopy of the surface and the cross section of the AlN/In grown films evidenced their high degree of homogeneity and cristallinity.

Design and simulation of GaN based Schottky betavoltaic nuclear micro-battery.

PubMed

San, Haisheng; Yao, Shulin; Wang, Xiang; Cheng, Zaijun; Chen, Xuyuan

2013-10-01

The current paper presents a theoretical analysis of Ni-63 nuclear micro-battery based on a wide-band gap semiconductor GaN thin-film covered with thin Ni/Au films to form Schottky barrier for carrier separation. The total energy deposition in GaN was calculated using Monte Carlo methods by taking into account the full beta spectral energy, which provided an optimal design on Schottky barrier width. The calculated results show that an 8 μm thick Schottky barrier can collect about 95% of the incident beta particle energy. Considering the actual limitations of current GaN growth technique, a Fe-doped compensation technique by MOCVD method can be used to realize the n-type GaN with a carrier concentration of 1×10(15) cm(-3), by which a GaN based Schottky betavoltaic micro-battery can achieve an energy conversion efficiency of 2.25% based on the theoretical calculations of semiconductor device physics. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Anderson, Virginia R.; Nepal, Neeraj; Johnson, Scooter D.

Wide bandgap semiconducting nitrides have found wide-spread application as light emitting and laser diodes and are under investigation for further application in optoelectronics, photovoltaics, and efficient power switching technologies. Alloys of the binary semiconductors allow adjustments of the band gap, an important semiconductor material characteristic, which is 6.2 eV for aluminum nitride (AlN), 3.4 eV for gallium nitride, and 0.7 eV for (InN). Currently, the highest quality III-nitride films are deposited by metalorganic chemical vapor deposition and molecular beam epitaxy. Temperatures of 900 °C and higher are required to deposit high quality AlN. Research into depositing III-nitrides with atomic layermore » epitaxy (ALEp) is ongoing because it is a fabrication friendly technique allowing lower growth temperatures. Because it is a relatively new technique, there is insufficient understanding of the ALEp growth mechanism which will be essential to development of the process. Here, grazing incidence small angle x-ray scattering is employed to observe the evolving behavior of the surface morphology during growth of AlN by ALEp at temperatures from 360 to 480 °C. Increased temperatures of AlN resulted in lower impurities and relatively fewer features with short range correlations.« less

Geothermal heating facilities for Frontier Inn, Susanville, California

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

1982-03-01

A 38 unit motel composed of six major sections (coffee shop, A frame units, apartments, back units, two story units and office) was built over a number of years and exhibits widely varying types of construction. Space heating is provided by primarily electric resistance equipment with some propane use. Domestic hot water is provided primarily by propane with some electric resistance. The coffee shop uses fuel oil for both space and domestic hot water heating. A geothermal district heating system is being installed. Although the motel site is not located in the area of construction activity, it is expected that the pipeline will be extended. The potential of retrofitting the existing heating facilities at the inn to geothermal is studied.

Hybrid device based on GaN nanoneedles and MEH-PPV/PEDOT:PSS polymer

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Shin, Min Jeong; Gwon, Dong-Oh; Lee, Chan-Mi

2015-08-15

Highlights: • A hybrid device was demonstrated by using MEH-PPV, PEDOT:PSS, and GaN nanoneedles. • I–V curve of the hybrid device showed its rectification behaviour, similar to a diode. • EL peak originated by the different potential barriers at MEH-PPV and GaN interface. - Abstract: A hybrid device that combines the properties of organic and inorganic semiconductors was fabricated and studied. It incorporated poly[2-methoxy-5-(2-ethylhexyloxy)- 1,4-phenylenevinylene] (MEH-PPV) and poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(styrenesulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS) as organic polymers and GaN nanoneedles as an inorganic semiconductor. Layers of the two polymers were spin coated on to the GaN nanoneedles. The one peak in the electroluminescence spectrum originatedmore » from the MEH-PPV layer owing to the different potential barriers of electrons and holes at its interface with the GaN nanoneedles. However, the photoluminescence spectrum showed peaks due to both GaN nanoneedles and MEH-PPV. Such hybrid structures, suitably developed, might be able to improve the efficiency of optoelectronic devices.« less

Transient atomic behavior and surface kinetics of GaN

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moseley, Michael; Billingsley, Daniel; Henderson, Walter; Trybus, Elaissa; Doolittle, W. Alan

2009-07-01

An in-depth model for the transient behavior of metal atoms adsorbed on the surface of GaN is developed. This model is developed by qualitatively analyzing transient reflection high energy electron diffraction (RHEED) signals, which were recorded for a variety of growth conditions of GaN grown by molecular-beam epitaxy (MBE) using metal-modulated epitaxy (MME). Details such as the initial desorption of a nitrogen adlayer and the formation of the Ga monolayer, bilayer, and droplets are monitored using RHEED and related to Ga flux and shutter cycles. The suggested model increases the understanding of the surface kinetics of GaN, provides an indirect method of monitoring the kinetic evolution of these surfaces, and introduces a novel method of in situ growth rate determination.

Surface potential barrier in m-plane GaN studied by contactless electroreflectance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Janicki, Lukasz; Misiewicz, Jan; Cywiński, Grzegorz; Sawicka, Marta; Skierbiszewski, Czeslaw; Kudrawiec, Robert

2016-02-01

Contactless electroreflectance (CER) is used to study the surface potential barrier in m-plane GaN UN+ [GaN (d = 20,30,50,70 nm)/GaN:Si] structures grown by using molecular beam epitaxy. Clear bandgap-related transitions followed by Franz-Keldysh oscillations (FKO) have been observed in the CER spectra of all samples at room temperature. The built-in electric fields in the undoped cap layers have been determined from the FKO period. From the built-in electric field and the undoped GaN layer thickness, the Fermi level location at the air-exposed m-plane GaN surface has been estimated as 0.42 ± 0.05 eV below the conduction band.

Selective-area growth of GaN nanowires on SiO{sub 2}-masked Si (111) substrates by molecular beam epitaxy

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kruse, J. E.; Doundoulakis, G.; Institute of Electronic Structure and Laser, Foundation for Research and Technology–Hellas, N. Plastira 100, 70013 Heraklion

2016-06-14

We analyze a method to selectively grow straight, vertical gallium nitride nanowires by plasma-assisted molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) at sites specified by a silicon oxide mask, which is thermally grown on silicon (111) substrates and patterned by electron-beam lithography and reactive-ion etching. The investigated method requires only one single molecular beam epitaxy MBE growth process, i.e., the SiO{sub 2} mask is formed on silicon instead of on a previously grown GaN or AlN buffer layer. We present a systematic and analytical study involving various mask patterns, characterization by scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and photoluminescence spectroscopy, as well asmore » numerical simulations, to evaluate how the dimensions (window diameter and spacing) of the mask affect the distribution of the nanowires, their morphology, and alignment, as well as their photonic properties. Capabilities and limitations for this method of selective-area growth of nanowires have been identified. A window diameter less than 50 nm and a window spacing larger than 500 nm can provide single nanowire nucleation in nearly all mask windows. The results are consistent with a Ga diffusion length on the silicon dioxide surface in the order of approximately 1 μm.« less

Interfacial Structure and Chemistry of GaN on Ge(111)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Siyuan; Zhang, Yucheng; Cui, Ying; Freysoldt, Christoph; Neugebauer, Jörg; Lieten, Ruben R.; Barnard, Jonathan S.; Humphreys, Colin J.

2013-12-01

The interface of GaN grown on Ge(111) by plasma-assisted molecular beam epitaxy is resolved by aberration corrected scanning transmission electron microscopy. A novel interfacial structure with a 5∶4 closely spaced atomic bilayer is observed that explains why the interface is flat, crystalline, and free of GeNx. Density functional theory based total energy calculations show that the interface bilayer contains Ge and Ga atoms, with no N atoms. The 5∶4 bilayer at the interface has a lower energy than a direct stacking of GaN on Ge(111) and enables the 5∶4 lattice-matching growth of GaN.

Refractive index of erbium doped GaN thin films

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Alajlouni, S.; Sun, Z. Y.; Li, J.

2014-08-25

GaN is an excellent host for erbium (Er) to provide optical emission in the technologically important as well as eye-safe 1540 nm wavelength window. Er doped GaN (GaN:Er) epilayers were synthesized on c-plane sapphire substrates using metal organic chemical vapor deposition. By employing a pulsed growth scheme, the crystalline quality of GaN:Er epilayers was significantly improved over those obtained by conventional growth method of continuous flow of reaction precursors. X-ray diffraction rocking curve linewidths of less than 300 arc sec were achieved for the GaN (0002) diffraction peak, which is comparable to the typical results of undoped high quality GaN epilayers andmore » represents a major improvement over previously reported results for GaN:Er. Spectroscopic ellipsometry was used to determine the refractive index of the GaN:Er epilayers in the 1540 nm wavelength window and a linear dependence on Er concentration was found. The observed refractive index increase with Er incorporation and the improved crystalline quality of the GaN:Er epilayers indicate that low loss GaN:Er optical waveguiding structures are feasible.« less

Initial growth, refractive index, and crystallinity of thermal and plasma-enhanced atomic layer deposition AlN films

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Van Bui, Hao, E-mail: H.VanBui@utwente.nl; Wiggers, Frank B.; Gupta, Anubha

2015-01-01

The authors have studied and compared the initial growth and properties of AlN films deposited on Si(111) by thermal and plasma-enhanced atomic layer deposition (ALD) using trimethylaluminum and either ammonia or a N{sub 2}-H{sub 2} mixture as precursors. In-situ spectroscopic ellipsometry was employed to monitor the growth and measure the refractive index of the films during the deposition. The authors found that an incubation stage only occurred for thermal ALD. The linear growth for plasma-enhanced ALD (PEALD) started instantly from the beginning due to the higher nuclei density provided by the presence of plasma. The authors observed the evolution ofmore » the refractive index of AlN during the growth, which showed a rapid increase up to a thickness of about 30 nm followed by a saturation. Below this thickness, higher refractive index values were obtained for AlN films grown by PEALD, whereas above that the refractive index was slightly higher for thermal ALD films. X-ray diffraction characterization showed a wurtzite crystalline structure with a (101{sup ¯}0) preferential orientation obtained for all the layers with a slightly better crystallinity for films grown by PEALD.« less

Codoping characteristics of Zn with Mg in GaN

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, K. S.; Han, M. S.; Yang, G. M.; Youn, C. J.; Lee, H. J.; Cho, H. K.; Lee, J. Y.

2000-08-01

The doping characteristics of Mg-Zn codoped GaN films grown by metalorganic chemical vapor deposition are investigated. By means of the concept of Mg-Zn codoping technique, we have grown p-GaN showing a low electrical resistivity (0.72 Ω cm) and a high hole concentration (8.5×1017cm-3) without structural degradation of the film. It is thought that the codoping of Zn atoms with Mg raises the Mg activation ratio by reducing the hydrogen solubility in p-GaN. In addition, the measured specific contact resistance of Mg-Zn codoped GaN film is 5.0×10-4 Ω cm2, which is one order of magnitude lower than that of Mg doped only GaN film (1.9×10-3 Ω cm2).

Understanding the Growth Mechanism of GaN Epitaxial Layers on Mechanically Exfoliated Graphite

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Tianbao; Liu, Chenyang; Zhang, Zhe; Yu, Bin; Dong, Hailiang; Jia, Wei; Jia, Zhigang; Yu, Chunyan; Gan, Lin; Xu, Bingshe; Jiang, Haiwei

2018-04-01

The growth mechanism of GaN epitaxial layers on mechanically exfoliated graphite is explained in detail based on classic nucleation theory. The number of defects on the graphite surface can be increased via O-plasma treatment, leading to increased nucleation density on the graphite surface. The addition of elemental Al can effectively improve the nucleation rate, which can promote the formation of dense nucleation layers and the lateral growth of GaN epitaxial layers. The surface morphologies of the nucleation layers, annealed layers and epitaxial layers were characterized by field-emission scanning electron microscopy, where the evolution of the surface morphology coincided with a 3D-to-2D growth mechanism. High-resolution transmission electron microscopy was used to characterize the microstructure of GaN. Fast Fourier transform diffraction patterns showed that cubic phase (zinc-blend structure) GaN grains were obtained using conventional GaN nucleation layers, while the hexagonal phase (wurtzite structure) GaN films were formed using AlGaN nucleation layers. Our work opens new avenues for using highly oriented pyrolytic graphite as a substrate to fabricate transferable optoelectronic devices.

Light Modulation and Water Splitting Enhancement Using a Composite Porous GaN Structure.

PubMed

Yang, Chao; Xi, Xin; Yu, Zhiguo; Cao, Haicheng; Li, Jing; Lin, Shan; Ma, Zhanhong; Zhao, Lixia

2018-02-14

On the basis of the laterally porous GaN, we designed and fabricated a composite porous GaN structure with both well-ordered lateral and vertical holes. Compared to the plane GaN, the composite porous GaN structure with the combination of the vertical holes can help to reduce UV reflectance and increase the saturation photocurrent during water splitting by a factor of ∼4.5. Furthermore, we investigated the underlying mechanism for the enhancement of the water splitting performance using a finite-difference time-domain method. The results show that the well-ordered vertical holes can not only help to open the embedded pore channels to the electrolyte at both sides and reduce the migration distance of the gas bubbles during the water splitting reactions but also help to modulate the light field. Using this composite porous GaN structure, most of the incident light can be modulated and trapped into the nanoholes, and thus the electric fields localized in the lateral pores can increase dramatically as a result of the strong optical coupling. Our findings pave a new way to develop GaN photoelectrodes for highly efficient solar water splitting.

Understanding the Growth Mechanism of GaN Epitaxial Layers on Mechanically Exfoliated Graphite.

PubMed

Li, Tianbao; Liu, Chenyang; Zhang, Zhe; Yu, Bin; Dong, Hailiang; Jia, Wei; Jia, Zhigang; Yu, Chunyan; Gan, Lin; Xu, Bingshe; Jiang, Haiwei

2018-04-27

The growth mechanism of GaN epitaxial layers on mechanically exfoliated graphite is explained in detail based on classic nucleation theory. The number of defects on the graphite surface can be increased via O-plasma treatment, leading to increased nucleation density on the graphite surface. The addition of elemental Al can effectively improve the nucleation rate, which can promote the formation of dense nucleation layers and the lateral growth of GaN epitaxial layers. The surface morphologies of the nucleation layers, annealed layers and epitaxial layers were characterized by field-emission scanning electron microscopy, where the evolution of the surface morphology coincided with a 3D-to-2D growth mechanism. High-resolution transmission electron microscopy was used to characterize the microstructure of GaN. Fast Fourier transform diffraction patterns showed that cubic phase (zinc-blend structure) GaN grains were obtained using conventional GaN nucleation layers, while the hexagonal phase (wurtzite structure) GaN films were formed using AlGaN nucleation layers. Our work opens new avenues for using highly oriented pyrolytic graphite as a substrate to fabricate transferable optoelectronic devices.

Characterization of Pb-Doped GaN Thin Films Grown by Thermionic Vacuum Arc

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Özen, Soner; Pat, Suat; Korkmaz, Şadan

2018-03-01

Undoped and lead (Pb)-doped gallium nitride (GaN) thin films have been deposited by a thermionic vacuum arc (TVA) method. Glass and polyethylene terephthalate were selected as optically transparent substrates. The structural, optical, morphological, and electrical properties of the deposited thin films were investigated. These physical properties were interpreted by comparison with related analysis methods. The crystalline structure of the deposited GaN thin films was hexagonal wurtzite. The optical bandgap energy of the GaN and Pb-doped GaN thin films was found to be 3.45 eV and 3.47 eV, respectively. The surface properties of the deposited thin films were imaged using atomic force microscopy and field-emission scanning electron microscopy, revealing a nanostructured, homogeneous, and granular surface structure. These results confirm that the TVA method is an alternative layer deposition system for Pb-doped GaN thin films.

Strain-mediated electronic properties of pristine and Mn-doped GaN monolayers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sharma, Venus; Srivastava, Sunita

2018-04-01

Graphene-like two-dimensional (2D) monolayer structures GaN has gained enormous amount of interest due to high thermal stability and inherent energy band gap for practical applications. First principles calculations are performed to investigate the electronic structure and strain-mediated electronic properties of pristine and Mn-doped GaN monolayer. Binding energy of Mn dopant at various adsorption site is found to be nearly same indicating these sites to be equally favorable for adsorption of foreign atom. Depending on the adsorption site, GaN monolayer can act as p-type or n-type magnetic semiconductor. The tensile strength of both pristine and doped GaN monolayer (∼24 GPa) at ultimate tensile strain of 34% is comparable with the tensile strength of graphene. The in-plane biaxial strain modulate the energy band gap of both pristine and doped-monolayer from direct to indirect gap semiconductor and finally retendered theme into metal at critical value of applied strain. These characteristics make GaN monolayer to be potential candidate for the future applications in tunable optoelectronics.

Study of structural properties of cubic InN films on GaAs(001) substrates by molecular beam epitaxy and migration enhanced epitaxy

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Casallas-Moreno, Y. L.; Perez-Caro, M.; Gallardo-Hernandez, S.

InN epitaxial films with cubic phase were grown by rf-plasma-assisted molecular beam epitaxy (RF-MBE) on GaAs(001) substrates employing two methods: migration-enhanced epitaxy (MEE) and conventional MBE technique. The films were synthesized at different growth temperatures ranging from 490 to 550 Degree-Sign C, and different In beam fluxes (BEP{sub In}) ranging from 5.9 Multiplication-Sign 10{sup -7} to 9.7 Multiplication-Sign 10{sup -7} Torr. We found the optimum conditions for the nucleation of the cubic phase of the InN using a buffer composed of several thin layers, according to reflection high-energy electron diffraction (RHEED) patterns. Crystallographic analysis by high resolution X-ray diffraction (HR-XRD)more » and RHEED confirmed the growth of c-InN by the two methods. We achieved with the MEE method a higher crystal quality and higher cubic phase purity. The ratio of cubic to hexagonal components in InN films was estimated from the ratio of the integrated X-ray diffraction intensities of the cubic (002) and hexagonal (1011) planes measured by X-ray reciprocal space mapping (RSM). For MEE samples, the cubic phase of InN increases employing higher In beam fluxes and higher growth temperatures. We have obtained a cubic purity phase of 96.4% for a film grown at 510 Degree-Sign C by MEE.« less

Development of AlN and TiB2 Composites with Nb2O5, Y2O3 and ZrO2 as Sintering Aids

PubMed Central

González, José C.; Rodríguez, Miguel Á.; Figueroa, Ignacio A.; Villafuerte-Castrejón, María-Elena; Díaz, Gerardo C.

2017-01-01

The synthesis of AlN and TiB2 by spark plasma sintering (SPS) and the effect of Nb2O5, Y2O3 and ZrO2 additions on the mechanical properties and densification of the produced composites is reported and discussed. After the SPS process, dense AlN and TiB2 composites with Nb2O5, Y2O3 and ZrO2 were successfully prepared. X-ray diffraction analysis showed that in the AlN composites, the addition of Nb2O5 gives rise to Nb4N3 during sintering. The compound Y3Al5O12 (YAG) was observed as precipitate in the sample with Y2O3. X-ray diffraction analysis of the TiB2 composites showed TiB2 as a single phase in these materials. The maximum Vickers and toughness values were 14.19 ± 1.43 GPa and 27.52 ± 1.75 GPa for the AlN and TiB2 composites, respectively. PMID:28772681

Deep level transient spectroscopy signatures of majority traps in GaN p-n diodes grown by metal-organic vapor-phase epitaxy technique on GaN substrates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

PŁaczek-Popko, E.; Trzmiel, J.; Zielony, E.; Grzanka, S.; Czernecki, R.; Suski, T.

2009-12-01

In this study, we present the results of investigation on p-n GaN diodes by means of deep level transient spectroscopy (DLTS) within the temperature range of 77-350 K. Si-doped GaN layers were grown by metal-organic vapor-phase epitaxy technique (MOVPE) on the free-standing GaN substrates. Subsequently Mg-doped GaN layers were grown. To perform DLTS measurements Ni/Au contacts to p-type material and Ti/Au contacts to n-type material were processed. DLTS signal spectra revealed the presence of two majority traps of activation energies obtained from Arrhenius plots equal to E1=0.22 eV and E2=0.65 eV. In present work we show that the trap E1 is linked with the extended defects whereas the trap E2 is the point defect related. Its capture cross section is thermally activated with energy barrier for capture equal to 0.2 eV.

Microstructural study of Mg-doped p-type GaN: Correlation between high-resolution electron microscopy and Raman spectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tsen, S.-C. Y.; Smith, David J.; Tsen, K. T.; Kim, W.; Morkoç, H.

1997-12-01

A series of Mg-doped GaN films (˜1-1.3 μm) grown by reactive molecular beam epitaxy at substrate temperatures of 750 and 800 °C has been studied by high-resolution electron microscopy (HREM) and Raman spectroscopy. Stacking defects parallel to the substrate surface were observed in samples grown on sapphire substrates at 750 °C with AlN buffer layers (60-70 nm) at low Mg concentration. A transition region with mixed zinc-blende cubic (c) and wurtzite hexagonal (h) phases having the relative orientations of (111)c//(00.1)h and (11¯0)c//(10.0)h was observed for increased Mg concentration. The top surfaces of highly doped samples were rough and assumed a completely zinc-blende phase with some inclined stacking faults. Samples grown with a Mg cell temperature of 350 °C and high doping levels were highly disordered with many small crystals having inclined stacking faults, microtwins, and defective wurtzite and zinc-blende phases. Correlation between HREM and Raman scattering results points towards the presence of compressive lattice distortion along the growth direction which might be attributable to structural defects. The films grown at 800 °C had better quality with less observable defects and less yellow luminescence than samples grown at 750 °C.

Conversion between hexagonal GaN and beta-Ga(2)O(3) nanowires and their electrical transport properties.

PubMed

Li, Jianye; An, Lei; Lu, Chenguang; Liu, Jie

2006-02-01

We have observed that the hexagonal GaN nanowires grown from a simple chemical vapor deposition method using gallium metal and ammonia gas are usually gallium-doped. By annealing in air, the gallium-doped hexagonal GaN nanowires could be completely converted to beta-Ga(2)O(3) nanowires. Annealing the beta-Ga(2)O(3) nanowires in ammonia could convert them back to undoped hexagonal GaN nanowires. Field effect transistors based on these three kinds of nanowires were fabricated, and their performances were studied. Because of gallium doping, the as-grown GaN nanowires show a weak gating effect. Through the conversion process of GaN nanowires (gallium-doped) --> Ga(2)O(3) nanowires --> GaN nanowires (undoped) via annealing, the final undoped GaN nanowires display different electrical properties than the initial gallium-doped GaN nanowires, show a pronounced n-type gating effect, and can be completely turned off.

Growth of GaN on Sapphire via Low-Temperature Deposited Buffer Layer and Realization of p-Type GaN by Mg Doping Followed by Low-Energy Electron Beam Irradiation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Amano, Hiroshi

2015-12-01

This is a personal history of one of the Japanese researchers engaged in developing a method for growing GaN on a sapphire substrate, paving the way for the realization of smart television and display systems using blue LEDs. The most important work was done in the mid- to late 80s. The background to the author's work and the process by which the technology enabling the growth of GaN and the realization of p-type GaN was established are reviewed.

Selective area growth and characterization of GaN nanocolumns, with and without an InGaN insertion, on semi-polar (11–22) GaN templates

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bengoechea-Encabo, A.; Albert, S.; Barbagini, F.

The aim of this work is the selective area growth (SAG) of GaN nanocolumns, with and without an InGaN insertion, by molecular beam epitaxyon semi-polar (11–22) GaN templates. The high density of stacking faults present in the template is strongly reduced after SAG. A dominant sharp photoluminescence emission at 3.473 eV points to high quality strain-free material. When embedding an InGaN insertion into the ordered GaN nanostructures, very homogeneous optical properties are observed, with two emissions originating from different regions of each nanostructure, most likely related to different In contents on different crystallographic planes.

Exciton emission from bare and hybrid plasmonic GaN nanorods

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mohammadi, Fatemesadat; Kunert, Gerd; Hommel, Detlef; Ge, Jingxuan; Duscher, Gerd; Schmitzer, Heidrun; Wagner, Hans Peter

We study the exciton emission of hybrid gold nanoparticle/Alq3 (aluminiumquinoline)/wurtzite GaN nanorods. GaN nanorods of 1.5 μm length and 250 nm diameter were grown by plasma assisted MBE. Hybrid GaN nanorods were synthesized by organic molecular beam deposition. Temperature and power dependent time integrated (TI) and time resolved (TR) photoluminescence (PL) measurements were performed on bare and hybrid structures. Bare nanorods show donor (D0,X) and acceptor bound (A0,X) exciton emission at 3.473 eV and at 3.463 eV, respectively. TR-PL trace modeling reveal lifetimes of 240 ps and 1.4 ns for the (D0,X) and (A0,X) transition. 10 nm gold coated GaN nanorods show a significant PL quenching and (D0,X) lifetime shortening which is tentatively attributed to impact ionization of (D0,X) due to hot electron injection from the gold nanoparticles. This is supported by electron energy loss spectroscopy that shows a redshift of a midgap state transition indicating a reduction of a preexisting band-bending at the nanorod surface due to positive charging of the gold nanoparticles. Inserting a nominally 5 nm thick Alq3 spacer between the nanorod and the gold reduces the PL quenching and lifetime shortening. Plasmonic nanorods with a 30 nm thick Alq3 spacer reveal lifetimes which are nearly identical to uncoated GaN nanorods.

Ion Beam Assisted Deposition of Thin Epitaxial GaN Films.

PubMed

Rauschenbach, Bernd; Lotnyk, Andriy; Neumann, Lena; Poppitz, David; Gerlach, Jürgen W

2017-06-23

The assistance of thin film deposition with low-energy ion bombardment influences their final properties significantly. Especially, the application of so-called hyperthermal ions (energy <100 eV) is capable to modify the characteristics of the growing film without generating a large number of irradiation induced defects. The nitrogen ion beam assisted molecular beam epitaxy (ion energy <25 eV) is used to deposit GaN thin films on (0001)-oriented 6H-SiC substrates at 700 °C. The films are studied in situ by reflection high energy electron diffraction, ex situ by X-ray diffraction, scanning tunnelling microscopy, and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy. It is demonstrated that the film growth mode can be controlled by varying the ion to atom ratio, where 2D films are characterized by a smooth topography, a high crystalline quality, low biaxial stress, and low defect density. Typical structural defects in the GaN thin films were identified as basal plane stacking faults, low-angle grain boundaries forming between w-GaN and z-GaN and twin boundaries. The misfit strain between the GaN thin films and substrates is relieved by the generation of edge dislocations in the first and second monolayers of GaN thin films and of misfit interfacial dislocations. It can be demonstrated that the low-energy nitrogen ion assisted molecular beam epitaxy is a technique to produce thin GaN films of high crystalline quality.

AlGaN/GaN High Electron Mobility Transistor Grown and Fabricated on ZrTi Metallic Alloy Buffer Layers

DOE PAGES

Ren, Fan; Pearton, Stephen J.; Ahn, Shihyun; ...

2017-09-26

AlGaN/GaN high electron mobility transistors (HEMTs) were demonstrated for structures grown on ZrTi metallic alloy buffer layers, which provided lattice matching of the in-plane lattice parameter (“a-parameter”) to hexagonal GaN. The quality of the GaN buffer layer and HEMT structure were confirmed with X-ray 2θ and rocking scans as well as cross-section transmission electron microscopy (TEM) images. The X-ray 2θ scans showed full widths at half maximum (FWHM) of 0.06°, 0.05° and 0.08° for ZrTi alloy, GaN buffer layer, and the entire HEMT structure, respectively. TEM of the lower section of the HEMT structure containing the GaN buffer layer andmore » the AlN/ZrTi/AlN stack on the Si substrate showed that it was important to grow AlN on the top of ZrTi prior to growing the GaN buffer layer. Finally, the estimated threading dislocation (TD) density in the GaN channel layer of the HEMT structure was in the 10 8 cm -2 range.« less

Gallium nitride photocathodes for imaging photon counters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Siegmund, Oswald H. W.; Hull, Jeffrey S.; Tremsin, Anton S.; McPhate, Jason B.; Dabiran, Amir M.

2010-07-01

Gallium nitride opaque and semitransparent photocathodes provide high ultraviolet quantum efficiencies from 100 nm to a long wavelength cutoff at ~380 nm. P (Mg) doped GaN photocathode layers ~100 nm thick with a barrier layer of AlN (22 nm) on sapphire substrates also have low out of band response, and are highly robust. Opaque GaN photocathodes are relatively easy to optimize, and consistently provide high quantum efficiency (70% at 120 nm) provided the surface cleaning and activation (Cs) processes are well established. We have used two dimensional photon counting imaging microchannel plate detectors, with an active area of 25 mm diameter, to investigate the imaging characteristics of semitransparent GaN photocathodes. These can be produced with high (20%) efficiency, but the thickness and conductivity of the GaN must be carefully optimized. High spatial resolution of ~50 μm with low intrinsic background (~7 events sec-1 cm-2) and good image uniformity have been achieved. Selectively patterned deposited GaN photocathodes have also been used to allow quick diagnostics of optimization parameters. GaN photocathodes of both types show great promise for future detector applications in ultraviolet Astrophysical instruments.

Fine structure of the red luminescence band in undoped GaN

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Reshchikov, M. A., E-mail: mreshchi@vcu.edu; Usikov, A.; Saint-Petersburg National Research University of Information Technologies, Mechanics and Optics, 49 Kronverkskiy Ave., 197101 Saint Petersburg

2014-01-20

Many point defects in GaN responsible for broad photoluminescence (PL) bands remain unidentified. Their presence in thick GaN layers grown by hydride vapor phase epitaxy (HVPE) detrimentally affects the material quality and may hinder the use of GaN in high-power electronic devices. One of the main PL bands in HVPE-grown GaN is the red luminescence (RL) band with a maximum at 1.8 eV. We observed the fine structure of this band with a zero-phonon line (ZPL) at 2.36 eV, which may help to identify the related defect. The shift of the ZPL with excitation intensity and the temperature-related transformation of the RLmore » band fine structure indicate that the RL band is caused by transitions from a shallow donor (at low temperature) or from the conduction band (above 50 K) to an unknown deep acceptor having an energy level 1.130 eV above the valence band.« less

GaN microcavities: Giant Rabi splitting and optical anisotropy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kavokin, Alexey; Gil, Bernard

1998-06-01

Numerical simulation of light reflection from a λ/2 GaN microcavity with Ga0.8Al0.2N/Ga0.5Al0.5N Bragg mirrors grown on the A surface of Al2O3 revealed a Rabi splitting of the order of 50 meV and remarkable optical anisotropy. These effects are originated from the giant exciton oscillator strength in GaN and a pronounced uniaxial strain in the structure.

Electron transport properties of degenerate n-type GaN prepared by pulsed sputtering

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ueno, Kohei; Fudetani, Taiga; Arakawa, Yasuaki; Kobayashi, Atsushi; Ohta, Jitsuo; Fujioka, Hiroshi

2017-12-01

We report a systematic investigation of the transport properties of highly degenerate electrons in Ge-doped and Si-doped GaN epilayers prepared using the pulsed sputtering deposition (PSD) technique. Secondary-ion mass spectrometry and Hall-effect measurements revealed that the doping efficiency of PSD n-type GaN is close to unity at electron concentrations as high as 5.1 × 1020 cm-3. A record low resistivity for n-type GaN of 0.16 mΩ cm was achieved with an electron mobility of 100 cm2 V-1 s-1 at a carrier concentration of 3.9 × 1020 cm-3. We explain this unusually high electron mobility of PSD n-type GaN within the framework of conventional scattering theory by modifying a parameter related to nonparabolicity of the conduction band. The Ge-doped GaN films show a slightly lower electron mobility compared with Si-doped films with the same carrier concentrations, which is likely a consequence of the formation of a small number of compensation centers. The excellent electrical properties presented in this letter clearly demonstrate the striking advantages of the low-temperature PSD technique for growing high-quality and highly conductive n-type GaN.

Defect related electrical and optical properties of AlN bulk crystals grown by physical vapor transport

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Irmscher, Klaus

AlN crystallizes thermodynamically stable in the wurtzite structure and possesses a direct band gap of about 6 eV. It is the ideal substrate for the epitaxial growth of Al-rich AlxGa1-xN films that enable deep ultraviolet (UV) emitters. Appropriate AlN bulk crystals can be grown by physical vapor transport (PVT). Besides high structural perfection, such substrate crystals should be highly UV transparent and ideally, electrically conductive. It is well known that point defects like impurities and intrinsic defects may introduce electronic energy levels within the bandgap, which lead to additional optical absorption or electrical compensation. Among the impurities, which may be incorporated into the AlN crystals during PVT growth at well above 2000 ° C, oxygen, carbon, and silicon play the major role. Based on our own experimental data as well as on experimental and theoretical results reported in literature, we discuss energy levels, charge states and possible negative-U behavior of these impurities and of vacancy-type defects. In particular, we develop a model that explains the absorption behavior of the crystals in dependence on the Fermi level that can be controlled by the growth conditions, including intentional doping. Further, we pay attention on spectroscopic investigations giving direct evidence for the chemical nature and atomic arrangement of the involved point defects. As examples local vibrational mode (LVM) spectroscopy of carbon related defects and recent reports of electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy are discussed.

The impact of electrode materials on 1/f noise in piezoelectric AlN contour mode resonators

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Hoe Joon; Jung, Soon In; Segovia-Fernandez, Jeronimo; Piazza, Gianluca

2018-05-01

This paper presents a detailed analysis on the impact of electrode materials and dimensions on flicker frequency (1/f) noise in piezoelectric aluminum nitride (AlN) contour mode resonators (CMRs). Flicker frequency noise is a fundamental noise mechanism present in any vibrating mechanical structure, whose sources are not generally well understood. 1 GHz AlN CMRs with three different top electrode materials (Al, Au, and Pt) along with various electrode lengths and widths are fabricated to control the overall damping acting on the device. Specifically, the use of different electrode materials allows control of thermoelastic damping (TED), which is the dominant damping mechanism for high frequency AlN CMRs and largely depends on the thermal properties (i.e. thermal diffusivities and expansion coefficients) of the metal electrode rather than the piezoelectric film. We have measured Q and 1/f noise of 68 resonators and the results show that 1/f noise decreases with increasing Q, with a power law dependence that is about 1/Q4. Interestingly, the noise level also depends on the type of electrode materials. Devices with Pt top electrode demonstrate the best noise performance. Our results help unveiling some of the sources of 1/f noise in these resonators, and indicate that a careful selection of the electrode material and dimensions could reduce 1/f noise not only in AlN-CMRs, but also in various classes of resonators, and thus enable ultra-low noise mechanical resonators for sensing and radio frequency applications.

X-ray probe of GaN thin films grown on InGaN compliant substrates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xu, Xiaoqing; Li, Yang; Liu, Jianming; Wei, Hongyuan; Liu, Xianglin; Yang, Shaoyan; Wang, Zhanguo; Wang, Huanhua

2013-04-01

GaN thin films grown on InGaN compliant substrates were characterized by several X-ray technologies: X-ray reciprocal space mapping (RSM), grazing incidence X-ray diffraction (GIXRD), and X-ray photoemission spectrum (XPS). Narrow Lorentz broadening and stress free state were observed for GaN grown on InGaN compliant substrate, while mosaic structure and large tensile stress were observed at the presence of residual indium atoms. RSM disclosed the mosaicity, and the GIXRD was conducted to investigate the depth dependences of crystal quality and strain states. XPS depth profile of indium contents indicated that residual indium atoms deteriorated the crystal quality of GaN not only by producing lattice mismatch at the interface of InGaN and GaN but also by diffusing into GaN overlayers. Accordingly, two solutions were proposed to improve the efficiency of self-patterned lateral epitaxial overgrowth method. This research goes a further step in resolving the urgent substrate problem in GaN fabrication.