Effect of Growth Temperature on Structural Quality of In-Rich InxAl1−xN Alloys on Si (111) Substrate by RF-MOMBE

Wei-Chun Chen,Li Chang,Chien-Nan Hsiao,Yue-Han Wu,Tzu-Chun Yen,Pei-Yin Lin,Jr.-Sheng Tian,Jr-Yu Chen

doi:10.1155/2014/980206

Abstract

In-rich InAlN films were grown directly on Si (111) substrate by RF-MOMBE without any buffer layer. InAlN films were grown at various substrate temperatures in the range of 460–540°C with TMIn/TMAl ~3.3. Structural properties of InAlN ternary alloys were investigated with X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). It is shown that the deposited In0.8AlM0.2N (0001) films can be in epitaxy with Si (111) substrate with orientation relationship of [2̅110]InAlN//[11̅0]Si. Also, the growth rate around ~0.25 μm/h almost remains constant for growth in the temperature range from 460 to 520°C. Cross-sectional TEM from InAlN grown on Si (111) at 460°C shows that the epitaxial film is in direct contact with Si without any interlayer.

Highlights

The technological importance of group III nitrides GaN, InN, and AlN, for the light-emitting and laser diodes operating in green and blue spectral regions, has stimulated the study of AlxGa1−xN, InxGa1−xN, and InxAl1−xN alloys
Crystalline and surface morphology are characterized by high-resolution X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM)
High-angle annular dark field (HAADF) images were obtained from a JEOL 2010F microscope in scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) mode

Summary

Introduction

The technological importance of group III nitrides GaN, InN, and AlN, for the light-emitting and laser diodes operating in green and blue spectral regions, has stimulated the study of AlxGa1−xN, InxGa1−xN, and InxAl1−xN alloys. Guo and coworkers [8] fabricated the high quality AlxIn1−xN films with x being from 0 to 0.14 in the low-Al composition regime using metalorganic vapor phase epitaxy. Various methods have been used to fabricate InAlN films, such as radio-frequency plasma-assisted molecular-beam epitaxy [13], metalorganic chemical vapor deposition [14], pulsed laser deposition [15], and magnetron sputtering [16]. Few studies reported In-rich InAlN thin films growth on Si substrate using radio-frequency metal-organic molecular-beam epitaxy (RF-MOMBE). Crystalline and surface morphology are characterized by high-resolution X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM)

Experimental

Results and Discussion

Conclusions