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Title: X-ray diffraction study of short-period AlN/GaN superlattices

Journal Article · · Crystallography Reports

The structure of short-period hexagonal GaN/AlN superlattices (SLs) has been investigated by X-ray diffraction. The samples have been grown by metalorganic vapor-phase epitaxy (MOVPE) in a horizontal reactor at a temperature of 1050°C on (0001)Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} substrates using GaN and AlN buffer layers. The SL period changes from 2 to 6 nm, and the thickness of the structure varies in a range from 0.3 to 1 μm. The complex of X-ray diffraction techniques includes a measurement of θ-2θ rocking curves of symmetric Bragg reflection, the construction of intensity maps for asymmetric reflections, a measurement and analysis of peak broadenings in different diffraction geometries, a precise measurement of lattice parameters, and the determination of radii of curvature. The thickness and strain of separate SL layers are determined by measuring the θ-2θ rocking curves subsequent simulation. It is shown that most SL samples are completely relaxed as a whole. At the same time, relaxation is absent between sublayers, which is why strains in the AlN and GaN sublayers (on the order of 1.2 × 10{sup −2}) have different signs. An analysis of diffraction peak half-widths allows us to determine the densities of individual sets of dislocations and observe their change from buffer layers to SLs.

OSTI ID:
22311426
Journal Information:
Crystallography Reports, Vol. 58, Issue 7; Other Information: Copyright (c) 2013 Pleiades Publishing, Inc.; http://www.springer-ny.com; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 1063-7745
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English