Effect of GaN interlayer on polarity control of epitaxial ZnO thin films grown by molecular beam epitaxy

Journal Article · Mon Oct 11 04:00:00 EDT 2010 · Applied Physics Letters

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.3502607· OSTI ID:21464515

Wang, X Q ^[1]; Sun, H P; Pan, X Q ^[2]

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1. State Key Laboratory of Artificial Microstructure and Mesoscopic Physics, School of Physics, Peking University, Beijing 100871 (China)
2. Department of Materials Science and Engineering, The University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109-2136 (United States)

Epitaxial ZnO thin films were grown on nitrided (0001) sapphire substrates with an intervening GaN layer by rf-plasma-assisted molecular beam epitaxy. It was found that polarity of the ZnO epilayer could be controlled by modifying the GaN interlayer. ZnO grown on a distorted 3-nm-thick GaN interlayer has Zn-polarity while ZnO on a 20-nm-thick GaN interlayer with a high structural quality has O-polarity. High resolution transmission electron microscopy analysis indicates that the polarity of ZnO epilayer is controlled by the atomic structure of the interface between the ZnO buffer layer and the intervening GaN layer.

• OSTI ID: 21464515
• Journal Information: Applied Physics Letters, Journal Name: Applied Physics Letters Journal Issue: 15 Vol. 97; ISSN APPLAB; ISSN 0003-6951
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS
SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND SUPERFLUIDITY
CHALCOGENIDES
CORUNDUM
CRYSTAL GROWTH
CRYSTAL GROWTH METHODS
CRYSTAL STRUCTURE
DEPOSITION
ELECTRON MICROSCOPY
EPITAXY
FILMS
GALLIUM COMPOUNDS
GALLIUM NITRIDES
INTERFACES
LAYERS
MATERIALS
MICROSCOPY
MINERALS
MOLECULAR BEAM EPITAXY
MOLECULAR STRUCTURE
NITRIDES
NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
OXIDE MINERALS
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PLASMA
PNICTIDES
RESOLUTION
SAPPHIRE
SEMICONDUCTOR MATERIALS
SUBSTRATES
THIN FILMS
TRANSMISSION ELECTRON MICROSCOPY
ZINC COMPOUNDS
ZINC OXIDES