Electronic state of Er in sputtered AlN:Er films determined by magnetic measurements

Journal Article · Sun Dec 07 00:00:00 EST 2014 · Journal of Applied Physics

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4903553· OSTI ID:22402727

Narang, V.; Korakakis, D. ^[1]

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1. Lane Department of Computer Science and Electrical Engineering, West Virginia University, Morgantown, West Virginia 26506 (United States)

The optoelectronic and piezoelectric properties of AlN:Er thin films have been of great recent interest for potential device applications. In this work, the focus is on the electronic state of Er in AlN:Er thin films prepared by reactive magnetron sputtering on (001) p-type Si substrate. X-ray diffraction shows that Er doping expands the lattice and the AlN:Er film has preferential c-plane orientation. To determine whether Er in AlN:Er is present as Er metal, Er{sub 2}O{sub 3}, or Er{sup 3+} substituting for Al{sup 3+}, detailed measurements and analysis of the temperature dependence (2 K–300 K) of the magnetization M at a fixed magnetic field H along with the M vs. H data at 2 K up to H = 90 kOe are presented. The presence of Er{sub 2}O{sub 3} and Er metal is ruled out since their characteristic magnetic transitions are not observed in the AlN:Er sample. Instead, the observed M vs. T and M vs. H variations are consistent with Er present as Er{sup 3+} substituting for Al{sup 3+} in AlN:Er at a concentration x = 1.08% in agreement with x = 0.94% ± 0.20% determined using x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The larger size of Er{sup 3+} vs. Al{sup 3+}explains the observed lattice expansion of AlN:Er.

• OSTI ID: 22402727
• Journal Information: Journal of Applied Physics, Vol. 116, Issue 21; Other Information: (c) 2014 AIP Publishing LLC; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0021-8979
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS
SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND SUPERFLUIDITY
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
ALUMINIUM IONS
ALUMINIUM NITRIDES
CONCENTRATION RATIO
ECOLOGICAL CONCENTRATION
ERBIUM IONS
ERBIUM OXIDES
MAGNETIC FIELDS
MAGNETIZATION
MAGNETRONS
METALS
ORIENTATION
PIEZOELECTRICITY
SPUTTERING
SUBSTRATES
TEMPERATURE DEPENDENCE
TEMPERATURE RANGE 0013-0065 K
TEMPERATURE RANGE 0065-0273 K
THIN FILMS
X-RAY DIFFRACTION
X-RAY PHOTOELECTRON SPECTROSCOPY