Metal/semiconductor phase transition in chromium nitride(001) grown by rf-plasma-assisted molecular-beam epitaxy

Journal Article · Mon Dec 27 00:00:00 EST 2004 · Applied Physics Letters

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.1836878· OSTI ID:20634582

Constantin, Costel; Haider, Muhammad B; Ingram, David; Smith, Arthur R ^[1]

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1. Condensed Matter and Surface Science Program, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Ohio University, Athens, Ohio 45701 (United States)

Structural and electronic properties of stoichiometric single-phase CrN(001) thin films grown on MgO(001) substrates by radio-frequency N plasma-assisted molecular-beam epitaxy, are investigated. In situ room-temperature scanning tunneling microscopy clearly shows the 1x1 atomic periodicity of the crystal structure as well as long-range topographic distortions which are characteristic of a semiconductor surface. This semiconductor behavior is consistent with ex situ resistivity measurements over the range 285 K and higher, whereas below 260 K, metallic behavior is observed. The resistivity-derived band gap for the high-temperature region, 71 meV, is consistent with the tunneling spectroscopy results. The observed electronic (semiconductor/metal) transition temperature coincides with the temperature of the known coincident magnetic (para-antiferro) and structural (cubic-orthorhombic) phase transitions.

• OSTI ID: 20634582
• Journal Information: Applied Physics Letters, Vol. 85, Issue 26; Other Information: DOI: 10.1063/1.1836878; (c) 2004 American Institute of Physics; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0003-6951
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
ANTIFERROMAGNETISM
CHROMIUM NITRIDES
CRYSTAL GROWTH
CRYSTAL STRUCTURE
MAGNESIUM OXIDES
MEV RANGE 10-100
MOLECULAR BEAM EPITAXY
PARAMAGNETISM
PERIODICITY
PHASE TRANSFORMATIONS
PLASMA
RADIOWAVE RADIATION
SCANNING TUNNELING MICROSCOPY
SEMICONDUCTOR MATERIALS
STOICHIOMETRY
TEMPERATURE RANGE 0065-0273 K
TEMPERATURE RANGE 0273-0400 K
THIN FILMS
TRANSITION TEMPERATURE
TUNNEL EFFECT