Kristen Collar

Growth of GaAs1−xBix by molecular beam epitaxy: Trade-offs in optical and structural characteristics

Recent work has shown that Bi incorporation increases during molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) when surface processes are kinetically limited through increased growth rate. Herein we explore how the structural and optical properties of GaAs1−xBix films are modified when grown under conditions with varying degrees of kinetic limitations realized through growth temperature and growth rate changes. Within the typical window of MBE growth conditions for GaAs1−xBix, we compare films with similar (∼3%) compositions grown under conditions of reduced kinetic limitations, i.e., relatively low gallium supersaturation achieved at higher temperatures (∼350 °C) and lower growth rates (∼0.5 μm/h), to those grown farther from equilibrium, specifically, higher supersaturation achieved at lower growth temperatures (∼290 °C) and higher growth rates (∼1.4 μm/h). Both the x-ray diffraction full width at half maximum of the omega-2theta scan and the 300 K photoluminescence intensity increase when samples are grown under less kinet...

Effect of strain in sputtered AlN buffer layers on the growth of GaN by molecular beam epitaxy

The strain dynamic of thin film AlN is investigated before and after the deposition of a GaN epitaxial layer using plasma assisted molecular beam epitaxy. X-ray diffraction ω/2θ-scan and asymmetric reciprocal space mapping analysis show that the deposition of GaN alters the strain state of the underlying AlN template. The in-plane lattice constant of the AlN is found to increase upon growth of GaN, giving rise to a more relaxed GaN epitaxial layer. Hence, the subsequent GaN epitaxial thin film possesses better structural quality especially with lower screw dislocation density and flat surface morphology which is evidenced by the X-ray diffraction ω-scan, room temperature photoluminescence, and atomic force microscopy analysis. Such relaxation of AlN upon GaN deposition is only observed for relatively thin AlN templates with thicknesses of 20 nm–30 nm; this effect is negligible for AlN with thickness of 50 nm and above. As the thicker AlN templates already themselves relax before the GaN deposition, the lo...

GaAs1−yBiy Raman signatures: illuminating relationships between the electrical and optical properties of GaAs1−yBiy and Bi incorporation

We report the use of two Raman signatures, the Bi-induced longitudinal-optical-plasmon-coupled (LOPC) mode and the GaAs Frohlich scattering intensity, present in nominally undoped (100) GaAs1−yBiy to predict the 300K photoluminescence intensity and Bi composition (y) in GaAs1−yBiy. The LOPC mode is used to calculate the hole concentration in GaAs1−yBiy epitaxial layers. A linear relationship between hole concentration and photoluminescence intensity is found for a range of samples grown at various temperatures and growth rates. In addition, the composition (y) of Bi in GaAs1−yBiy is also found to be linearly related to the GaAs Frohlich scattering intensity.

The relationship between depth-resolved composition and strain relaxation in InAlN and InGaN films grown by molecular beam epitaxy

A study of the relationship between strain and the incorporation of group III elements in ternary InGaN and InAlN grown by molecular beam epitaxy is reported. Using X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy compositional depth profiles with x-ray diffraction, we are able to find a clear relationship between strain and In incorporation including tensile-strained InAlN which has, to date, not been studied. The results show that fully strained films contain homogeneous indium composition while partially relaxed films have a non-homogeneous indium composition with depth. These results can be interpreted by considering the impurity formation energies of indium in host lattices.

Determination of the impact of Bi content on the valence band energy of GaAsBi using x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy

We investigate the change of the valence band energy of GaAs1-xBix (0<x<0.025) as a function of dilute bismuth (Bi) concentration, x, using x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The change in the valence band energy per addition of 1 % Bi is determined for strained and unstrained thin films using a linear approximation applicable to the dilute regime. Spectroscopic ellipsometry (SE) was used as a complementary technique to determine the change in GaAsBi bandgap resulting from Bi addition. Analysis of SE and XPS data together supports the conclusion that ∼75% of the reduction in the bandgap is in the valence band for a compressively strained, dilute GaAsBi thin film at room temperature.

Impact of vicinal GaAs(001) substrates on Bi incorporation and photoluminescence in molecular beam epitaxy-grown GaAs1−xBix

The controlled incorporation of Bi into GaAs is a key challenge to synthesizing dilute Bi materials. This work reveals the importance of the surface step density and direction on Bi incorporation. Steps in the [110] direction are demonstrated to enhance Bi incorporation, but at the cost of reduced photoluminescence intensity at a red-shifted peak position, while steps in the [1¯10] direction yield the opposite behavior. A qualitative model based on the competitive incorporation of As and Bi at different step edges is used to rationalize the observed differences in Bi incorporation.

Characterization of MBE-grown InAlN/GaN heterostructure valence band offsets with varying In composition

Angle-resolved X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) is used in this work to experimentally determine the valence band offsets of molecular beam epitaxy (MBE)-grown InAlN/GaN heterostructures with varying indium composition. We find that the internal electric field resulting from polarization must be taken into account when analyzing the XPS data. Valence band offsets of 0.12 eV for In0.18Al0.82N, 0.15 eV for In0.17Al0.83N, and 0.23 eV for In0.098Al0.902N with GaN are obtained. The results show that a compositional-depended bowing parameter is needed in order to estimate the valence band energies of InAlN as a function of composition in relation to those of the binary endpoints, AlN and InN.

The characteristics of MBE-grown InxAl1−xN/GaN surface states

The density and energy distribution of InxAl1−xN/GaN surface donor states are studied for InxAl1−xN structures with varying indium compositions. The results support a surface states model with a constant energy distribution of 2.17–2.63 eV below the conduction band minimum and a concentration of 4.64–8.27 × 1013 cm−2 eV−1. It is shown that the properties of the surface states are affected by the surface indium composition xs, as opposed to the bulk composition, xb (InxAl1−xN). Higher surface indium composition xs increases the density of surface states and narrows their energy distribution.

Unidirectional lateral nanowire formation during the epitaxial growth of GaAsBi on vicinal substrates

We report on enhanced control of the growth of lateral GaAs nanowires (NWs) embedded in epitaxial (100) GaAsBi thin films enabled by the use of vicinal substrates and the growth-condition dependent role of Bi as a surfactant. Enhanced step-flow growth is achieved through the use of vicinal substrates and yields unidirectional nanowire growth. The addition of Bi during GaAsBi growth enhances Ga adatom diffusion anisotropy and modifies incorporation rates at steps in comparison to GaAs growth yielding lower density but longer NWs. The NWs grown on vicinal substrates grew unidirectionally towards the misorientation direction when Bi was present. The III/V flux ratio significantly impacts the size, shape and density of the resulting NWs. These results suggest that utilizing growth conditions which enhance step-flow growth enable enhanced control of lateral nanostructures.

Structural Characterization of the Nanocolumnar Microstructure of InAlN

InxAl(1−x)N (InAlN) thin films, lattice-matched to GaN with an In composition of ∼17%, are of interest for GaN-based devices. However, InAlN thin films grown by molecular beam epitaxy exhibit a characteristic lateral composition modulation, or nanocolumnar microstructure, with an Al-rich center region and an In-rich boundary. The mechanism driving the formation of this microstructure remains unknown. To date, the structural characterization of the nanocolumn domain size and its associated compositional variation is challenging, requiring either transmission electron microscopy or atomic probe microscopy. We show that the nanocolumnar microstructure can be characterized using x-ray diffraction and is associated with increased diffuse scattering. Using this technique, we show that the development of the microstructure is dependent on growth temperature.