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Title: Controlling surface adatom kinetics for improved structural and optical properties of high indium content aluminum indium nitride

Abstract

A non-traditional, for AlInN, method of controlling adatom kinetics and a low temperature growth condition were employed to improve the quality of high indium content aluminum indium nitride films. Metal-rich surfaces were used to enhance adatom mobility and compensate for the low growth temperature (Tsub ≤ 400 °C) effect of reducing surface diffusion lengths. The metal-rich approach resulted in 12 times lower x-ray diffraction full-width at half-maximum rocking curve figures of merit when compared to literature. In addition to promising photoluminescence emission, these results indicate improved structural quality over other reported approaches. AlInN films with ∼70% indium content were characterized via x-ray diffraction, atomic force microscopy, and photoluminescence spectroscopy with each technique indicating an optimal growth temperature of 350 °C. Al0.3In0.7N grown above 400 °C exhibited phase separation and a reduction in quality, while samples grown colder were predominantly single-phase and displayed improved photoluminescence at ∼1.45 eV. The photoluminescence spectra suggest emission from quantum wire-like structures with dimensions ranging from 15 to 18 nm. These low-temperature, metal-rich findings for high indium content AlInN are promising for future long-wavelength III-nitride optical devices.

Authors:
ORCiD logo; ORCiD logo; ; ORCiD logo
Publication Date:
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE
OSTI Identifier:
1605953
Grant/Contract Number:  
SG DMR-1710032
Resource Type:
Publisher's Accepted Manuscript
Journal Name:
Journal of Applied Physics
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Name: Journal of Applied Physics Journal Volume: 127 Journal Issue: 12; Journal ID: ISSN 0021-8979
Publisher:
American Institute of Physics
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

Citation Formats

Engel, Zachary, Clinton, Evan A., Matthews, Christopher M., and Doolittle, W. Alan. Controlling surface adatom kinetics for improved structural and optical properties of high indium content aluminum indium nitride. United States: N. p., 2020. Web. doi:10.1063/1.5142295.
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Engel, Zachary, Clinton, Evan A., Matthews, Christopher M., & Doolittle, W. Alan. Controlling surface adatom kinetics for improved structural and optical properties of high indium content aluminum indium nitride. United States. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.5142295
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Engel, Zachary, Clinton, Evan A., Matthews, Christopher M., and Doolittle, W. Alan. Mon . "Controlling surface adatom kinetics for improved structural and optical properties of high indium content aluminum indium nitride". United States. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.5142295.
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@article{osti_1605953,
title = {Controlling surface adatom kinetics for improved structural and optical properties of high indium content aluminum indium nitride},
author = {Engel, Zachary and Clinton, Evan A. and Matthews, Christopher M. and Doolittle, W. Alan},
abstractNote = {A non-traditional, for AlInN, method of controlling adatom kinetics and a low temperature growth condition were employed to improve the quality of high indium content aluminum indium nitride films. Metal-rich surfaces were used to enhance adatom mobility and compensate for the low growth temperature (Tsub ≤ 400 °C) effect of reducing surface diffusion lengths. The metal-rich approach resulted in 12 times lower x-ray diffraction full-width at half-maximum rocking curve figures of merit when compared to literature. In addition to promising photoluminescence emission, these results indicate improved structural quality over other reported approaches. AlInN films with ∼70% indium content were characterized via x-ray diffraction, atomic force microscopy, and photoluminescence spectroscopy with each technique indicating an optimal growth temperature of 350 °C. Al0.3In0.7N grown above 400 °C exhibited phase separation and a reduction in quality, while samples grown colder were predominantly single-phase and displayed improved photoluminescence at ∼1.45 eV. The photoluminescence spectra suggest emission from quantum wire-like structures with dimensions ranging from 15 to 18 nm. These low-temperature, metal-rich findings for high indium content AlInN are promising for future long-wavelength III-nitride optical devices.},
doi = {10.1063/1.5142295},
journal = {Journal of Applied Physics},
number = 12,
volume = 127,
place = {United States},
year = {Mon Mar 23 00:00:00 EDT 2020},
month = {Mon Mar 23 00:00:00 EDT 2020}
}
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https://doi.org/10.1063/1.5142295
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