Direct epitaxial nanometer-thin InN of high structural quality on 4H–SiC by atomic layer deposition

Chih-Wei Hsu,Ivan Martinovic,Ivan G Ivanov,Justinas Palisaitis,Petro Deminskyi,Henrik Pedersen

doi:10.1063/5.0014900

Abstract

Indium nitride (InN) is a highly promising material for high frequency electronics given its low bandgap and high electron mobility. The development of InN-based devices is hampered by the limitations in depositing very thin InN films of high quality. We demonstrate growth of high-structural-quality nanometer thin InN films on 4H–SiC by atomic layer deposition (ALD). High resolution x-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy show epitaxial growth and an atomically sharp interface between InN and 4H–SiC. The InN film is fully relaxed already after a few atomic layers and shows a very smooth morphology where the low surface roughness (0.14 nm) is found to reproduce sub-nanometer surface features of the substrate. Raman measurements show an asymmetric broadening caused by grains in the InN film. Our results show the potential of ALD to prepare high-quality nanometer-thin InN films for subsequent formation of heterojunctions.

Highlights

MBE has been used to prepare Indium nitride (InN) monolayers embedded in a GaN matrix for short-period superlattices.12 the knowledge and deposition techniques for just-a-few-nanometer InN films are still at their infant stage
The development of InN-based devices is hampered by the limitations in depositing very thin InN films of high quality
We demonstrate growth of high-structural-quality nanometer thin InN films on 4H–SiC by atomic layer deposition (ALD)

Summary

Introduction

MBE has been used to prepare InN monolayers embedded in a GaN matrix for short-period superlattices.12 the knowledge and deposition techniques for just-a-few-nanometer InN films are still at their infant stage. We demonstrate growth of high-structural-quality nanometer thin InN films on 4H–SiC by atomic layer deposition (ALD).

Results

Conclusion