D. Zakharov

Mechanism of stress relaxation in Ge nanocrystals embedded in SiO2

Ion-beam-synthesized {sup 74}Ge nanocrystals embedded in an amorphous silica matrix exhibit large compressive stresses in the as-grown state. The compressive stress is determined quantitatively by evaluating the Raman line shift referenced to the line position of free-standing nanocrystals. Post-growth thermal treatments lead to stress reduction. The stress relief process is shown to be governed by the diffusive flux of matrix atoms away from the local nanocrystal growth region. A theoretical model that quantitatively describes this process is presented.

Stable, freestanding Ge nanocrystals

Freestanding Ge nanocrystals that are stable under ambient conditions have been synthesized in a two-step process. First, nanocrystals with a mean diameter of 5nm are grown in amorphous SiO2 by ion implantation followed by thermal annealing. The oxide matrix is then removed by selective etching in diluted HF to obtain freestanding nanocrystals on a Si wafer. After etching, nanocrystals are retained on the surface and the size distribution is not significantly altered. Freestanding nanocrystals are stable under ambient atmospheric conditions, suggesting formation of a self-limiting native oxide layer. For freestanding as opposed to embedded Ge nanocrystals, an additional amorphouslike contribution to the Raman spectrum is observed and is assigned to surface reconstruction-induced disordering of near-surface atoms.

Effect of Gallium Nitride Template Layer Strain on the Growth of InxGa1-xN/GaN Multiple Quantum Well Light Emitting Diodes

GaN template layer strain effects were investigated on the growth of InGaN/GaN LED devices. Seven period InGaN/GaN multiple quantum well structures were deposited on 5{micro}m and 15{micro}m GaN template layers. It was found that the electroluminescence emission of the 15{micro}m device was red-shifted by approximately 132meV. Triple-axis X-Ray Diffraction and Cross-Sectional Transmission Electron Microscopy show that the 15{micro}m templay layer device was virtually unstrained while the 5{micro}m layer experienced tensile strain. Dynamic Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry depth profiles show that the 15{micro}m template layer device had an average indium concentration of 11% higher than that of the 5{micro}m template layer device even though the structures were deposited during the same growth run. It was also found that the 15{micro}m layer device had a higher growth rate than the 5{micro}m template layer device. This difference in indium concentration and growth rate was due to changes in thermodynamic limitations caused by strain differences in the template layers.

Interfacial reactions during GaN and AiN epitaxy on 4H– and 6H–SiC(0001)

Thin layers of AlN and GaN have been grown by plasma-assisted molecular beam epitaxy on Si-face 4H– and 6H–SiC(0001)Si substrates. The impact of the SiC surface preparation and oxide removal via a Ga deposition and desorption process on the chemistry and structure of the GaN/SiC and AlN/SiC interfaces, and on the GaN/SiC subsurface reactivity is characterized. We also investigate the impact of this process on growth mode evolution.

Screw dislocations in GaN grown by different methods

A study of screw dislocations in hydride-vapor-phase-epitaxy (HVPE) template and molecular-beam-epitaxy (MBE) overlayers was performed using transmission electron microscopy (TEM) in plan view and in cross section. It was observed that screw dislocations in the HVPE layers were decorated by small voids arranged along the screw axis. However, no voids were observed along screw dislocations in MBE overlayers. This was true both for MBE samples grown under Ga-lean and Ga-rich conditions. Dislocation core structures have been studied in these samples in the plan-view configuration. These experiments were supported by image simulation using the most recent models. A direct reconstruction of the phase and amplitude of the scattered electron wave from a focal series of high-resolution images was applied. It was shown that the core structures of screw dislocations in the studied materials were filled. The filed dislocation cores in an MBE samples were stoichiometric. However, in HVPE materials, single atomic columns show substantial differences in intensities and might indicate the possibility of higher Ga concentration in the core than in the matrix. A much lower intensity of the atomic column at the tip of the void was observed. This might suggest presence of lighter elements, such as oxygen, responsible for their formation.

Characterization and manipulation of exposed Ge nanocrystals

Isotopically pure 70 Ge and 74 Ge nanocrystals embedded in SiO 2 thin films on Si substrates have been fabricated through ion implantation and thermal annealing. Nanocrystals were subsequently exposed using a hydrofluoric acid etching procedure to selectively remove the oxide matrix while retaining up to 69% of the implanted Ge. Comparison of transmission electron micrographs (TEM) of as-grown crystals to atomic force microscope (AFM) data of exposed crystals reveals that the nanocrystal size distribution is very nearly preserved during etching. Therefore, this process provides a new means to use AFM for rapid and straightforward determination of size distributions of nanocrystals formed in a silica matrix. Once exposed, nanocrystals may be transferred to a variety of substrates, such as conducting metal films and optically transparent insulators for further characterization.

Discovering a Defect that Imposes a Limit to Mg Doping in p-Type GaN

Gallium nitride (GaN) is the III-V semiconductor used to produce blue light-emitting diodes (LEDs) and blue and ultraviolet solid-state lasers. To be useful in electronic devices, GaN must be doped with elements that function either as electron donors or as acceptors to turn it into either an n-type semiconductor or a p-type semiconductor. It has been found that GaN can easily be grown with n-conductivity, even up to large concentrations of donors--in the few 10{sup 19}cm{sup -3} range. However, p-doping, the doping of the structure with atoms that provide electron sinks or holes, is not well understood and remains extremely difficult. The only efficient p-type dopant is Mg, but it is found that the free hole concentration is limited to 2 x 10{sup 18}cm{sup -3}, even when Mg concentrations are pushed into the low 10{sup 19}cm{sup -3} range. This saturation effect could place a limit on further development of GaN based devices. Further increase of the Mg concentration, up to 1 x 10{sup 20}cm{sup -3} leads to a decrease of the free hole concentration and an increase in defects. While low- to medium-brightness GaN light-emitting diodes (LEDs) are remarkably tolerant of crystal defects, blue and UV GaN lasers are much less so. We used electron microscopy to investigate Mg doping in GaN. Our transmission electron microscopy (TEM) studies revealed the formation of different types of Mg-rich defects [1,2]. In particular, high-resolution TEM allowed us to characterize a completely new type of defect in Mg-rich GaN. We found that the type of defect depended strongly on crystal growth polarity. For crystals grown with N-polarity, planar defects are distributed at equal distances (20 unit cells of GaN); these defects can be described as inversion domains [1]. For growth with Ga-polarity, we found a different type of defect [2]. These defects turn out to be three-dimensional Mg-rich hexagonal pyramids (or trapezoids) with their base on the (0001) plane and their six walls formed on {l_brace}1123{r_brace} planes (Fig. 1a). In [1120] and [1100] cross-section TEM micrographs the defects appear as triangular (Fig. 1b) and trapezoidal (Fig. 1c). In projection, the sides of these defects are inclined at 43{sup o} and 47{sup o} to the base depending on the observation direction. The pyramid size varies from 50{angstrom}-1000{angstrom} depending on the growth method, but the angle between the base and sides remain the same. The direction from the tip of the pyramid to its base (and from the shorter to the longer base for trapezoidal defects) is along the Ga to N matrix bond direction (Fig. 1a-d).

In Situ Characterization of Ge Nanocrystals Near the Growth Temperature

We present in situ electron diffraction data indicating that Ge nanocrystals embedded in a silica matrix can be solid at temperatures exceeding the bulk Ge melting point. Supercooling is observed when returning from temperatures above the melting point of the Ge nanocrystals. Since melting point hysteresis is observed, it is not clear if nanoclusters are solid or liquid during the initial growth process. Raman spectra of as‐grown nanocrystals give a measure of compressive stress and in‐situ Raman spectroscopy further confirms the presence of crystalline Ge above 800 °C.

Pyramidal Defects in GaN:Mg Grown with Ga Polarity

Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) studies show formation of different types of Mg-rich defects in GaN. Types of defects strongly depend on crystal growth polarity. For bulk crystals grown with N-polarity, the planar defects are distributed at equal distances (20 unit cells of GaN). For growth with Ga-polarity (for both bulk and MOCVD grown crystals) a different type of defects have been found. These defects are three-dimensional Mg-rich hexagonal pyramids (or trapezoids) with their base on the (0001) plane and six walls formed on 1123 planes. The defects appear in [1120] and [1100] cross-section TEM micrographs as triangular and trapezoidal with sides inclined at 43 and 47 degrees to the base depending on the above observation directions, respectively. The dimension of these pyramids varies depending on growth method (50-1000 Angstrom), but the angle between the base and their sides remain the same. The direction from the tip of the pyramid to its base (and from the shorter to the longer base for trapezoidal defects) is along the Ga to N matrix bond direction. Analysis of the reconstructed exit wave phase image from the pyramid side indicates a shift of Ga atomic column positions from the matrix to the N position within the pyramid. In this way a 0.6{+-}0.2 Angstrom displacement can be measured on the pyramid side between Ga positions in the matrix and within the pyramid.

Compositional Ordering in In x Ga 1-x N and its influence on optical properties

In x Ga 1-x N layers grown with compositions with the predicted miscibility gap have been studied using Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM), x-ray diffraction and optical measurements (photoluminescence and absorption). The samples (0.34 10 cm −2 to10 11 cm −2 range. Edge dislocations were the most prevalent. For In concentration × = 0.5 compositional ordering is observed leading to extra diffraction spots in electron and x-ray diffraction. The ordering was not observed for the sample with x=0.34 grown on GaN. Based on TEM measurements the estimated period of ordering Δ was about Δ = 45 A for × = 0.5 and Δ = 65A for × = 0.78. The sample with × = 0.5 had the highest dislocation density. In addition to the presence of threading dislocations two types of domain boundaries on (0001) and (01 1 0) planes were also observed in this sample. This sample has a broader photoluminescence (PL) that is redshifted compared to the absorption edge (“Stokes shift”).