Electron penetration depth in amorphous AlN exploiting the luminescence of AlN:Tm/AlN:Ho bilayers

The penetration depth of electron in amorphous aluminum nitride (AlN) is determined in terms of energy loss per unit length using electron beam in a cathodoluminescence (CL) apparatus. Thin films bilayers of holmium doped aluminum nitride (AlN:Ho) and thulium doped aluminum nitride (AlN:Tm) are deposited on silicon substrates by rf magnetron sputtering method at liquid nitrogen temperatures. The bilayers structure consisted of a 37.8 nm thick AlN:Tm film on the top of a 15.3 nm thick AlN:Ho film. Electron beam of different energies are allowed to penetrate the AlN:Tm/AlN:Ho bilayers film. The spectroscopic properties of AlN:Ho and AlN:Tm, the thickness of the film and the energies of electron beam are used to calculate the penetration depth of electron in amorphous AlN. Electron beam of 2.5 keV energy was able to pass through the 37.8 nm thick AlN:Tm film. The electron penetration depth for AlN is found to be 661.4 MeV/cm.     

Interfacial properties of AlN and oxidized AlN on Si

We report on the characteristics of metal-insulator-semiconductor (MIS) capacitors with aluminum nitride (AlN) as the insulator material. AlN has been grown on (1 1 1) Si by means of molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) and DC magnetron sputtering (SPU). AlN layers have been characterized before and after dry thermal oxidation in O₂. By analyzing changes in morphology and electrical properties, different oxidation mechanisms were identified, due to the crystalline quality difference of the AlN samples. In both cases, oxidation at 1000 °C was beneficial for the electrical characteristics of the MIS structures, presumably due to passivation of atom vacancies. Although AlN was only partially oxidized, the flat-band voltage was reduced and the density of interface traps improved. Dominant conduction mechanism was Poole-Frenkel for the SPU sample, and changed to hopping after oxidation.     

MRCI studies on the electronic structure of AlN and AlN, and the electron affinity of AlN

Using multireference configuration-interaction methods and double to triple-zeta basis sets with semidiffuse and polarization functions, potential energies and spectroscopic constants for low-lying doublet, and quartet states of AlN⁻ were calculated. has R_e=3.280 bohr and . lies 0.17 eV above the ground state. Using an estimated electron affinity of 2.1 eV for AlN, four states of AlN⁻ are found to be stable, namely , , , and . Comparisons with the isovalent anions BN⁻ (three stable states) and AlP⁻ (seven stable states) are made. Photo-detachment of an electron from the state of AlN⁻ can lead to an accurate determination of the energy difference between the two close-lying lowest states of AlN, and , predicted here to be 0.09 eV apart.     

Phonon spectrum and group velocities in AlN/GaN/AlN and related heterostructures

We theoretically investigated acoustic phonon spectrum and group velocities in an ultra-thin layer of wurtzite GaN embedded within two AlN cladding layers. The core GaN layer thickness has been chosen on the order of the room-temperature dominant phonon wavelength so that the phonon spectrum in such a structure is strongly modified compared to bulk. We derived equations of motion for different phonon polarizations in the anisotropic medium approximation, which allowed us to include specifics of the wurtzite lattice. Based on our model we calculated phonon density of states and phonon group velocity. Using several other example material systems, it has also been demonstrated that the phonon group velocity in the core layer can be made higher or lower than that in corresponding bulk material by a proper selection of the cladding material and its thickness. Presented results shed new light on the effect of barrier material on the phonon spectrum of heterostructures and can be used for modeling the thermal and electrical properties of such structures.     

Growth of AlN nanostructures by a rapid thermal process

Aluminum nitride nanorods were grown during rapid thermal annealing of multi-layered Al₂S₃ /BaS thin films. Depending on the thickness ratio between the BaS and Al₂S₃ layers, nanowires or straight nanorods were obtained. Typical dimensions for the nanorods were a diameter in the range of 50-100 nm and a length of 2-5 μm. The nanostructures are formed upon annealing at a relatively low temperature of 900 ^°C when aluminum evaporates from the thin film, but remains trapped between the thin film surface and the Si wafer, which is used as a support during the annealing. The nitrogen is provided by N₂ gas flushed through the annealing chamber. High-resolution transmission electron microscopy showed crystalline, wurtzite-structured AlN nanorods. The growth mechanism in terms of thin film composition, annealing parameters and the role of catalysts is discussed.     

Electrostriction in GaN/AlN heterostructures

A one-dimensional model accounting for electrostriction, lattice mismatch, piezoelectricity, and strain is presented with special emphasis on GaN/AlN heterostructures recently examined extensively in the literature. It is shown that electrostriction, being a second-order effect in the strain–electric field relation, plays a significant, sometimes dominant contribution subject to DC voltage conditions and externally imposed hydrostatic pressure. Model results are based on experimentally reported values for electrostriction coefficients in GaN.     

Nanoporous AlN particles production from a solid-state metathesis reaction

This paper reports that nanoporous AlN particles are synthesized from solid-state metathesis reactions using AlCl₃ and Mg₃N₂ as reactants. The samples are characterized by x-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), selected area electron diffraction, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), ultraviolet--visible (UV--vis) absorption spectroscopy and Raman spectroscopy. The results show that samples with walls 10 nm in thickness and pores between 10 nm and 100 nm in diameter were produced successfully from these reactions, and their band gap and vibration modes agree with those of AlN bulk crystal.     

N NMR in AlN and BN

A characterisation by ¹⁴N NMR of the binary nitrides AlN and BN is presented. Both the static and magic angle spinning (MAS) lineshapes have been investigated in order to determine, or set upper limits on, the nuclear quadrupole coupling (C_q) at the nitrogen site. Additional data are given for the C_q values at the Al and B sites. A comparison is made with other similar (mainly wurtzite) binary compounds for which C_q is known at each atomic site.     

Metallic clusters in the AlN ceramic

Characterization of the local environment of metallic ions (Cu, Fe, Ti, Ni and Er) implanted in the ceramic matrix AlN have led us to conclude that the heat of formation (\Delta H) of the implanted ion nitride (I-N) is the parameter which has to be considered in order to predict the final system. When ΔH_I-N is negative, bonds between the implanted ion and nitrogen atoms are formed, when ΔH_I-N is positive, clusters of the implanted ion are formed. Moreover, we give some physical characteristics of the Cu and Ni clusters in the AlN matrix and show the differences between imbedded and deposited clusters of the same size. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

氮化铝薄膜中的二次谐波产生

利用X射线衍射技术对用直流反应磁控溅射技术沉积在蓝宝石基底(100)晶面上的氮化铝(AIN)薄膜进行了晶体结构分析,对X射线衍射图样的分析结果表明：用该法沉积在蓝宝石基底(100)晶面上的AIN薄膜为单晶膜;利用脉宽为10ns、重复频率10Hz、最大平均功率为20W、单脉冲的最大能量为2J的Nd：YAG脉冲激光器对其进行了二次谐波产生的实验研究,对实验结果进行分析表明：沉积在蓝宝石基底(100)晶面上的AIN薄膜能在一个很宽的入射角度范围存在有效二次谐波的输出;且输出的二次谐波功率相对于AIN薄膜的表面法线成对称分布,这表明该AIN薄膜的表面法线方向即为AIN的光轴方向。     

Oblique-angle sputtered AlN nanocolumnar layer as a buffer layer in GaN-based LED

This work presents an aluminum nitride (AlN) nanocolumnar layer sputtered at various oblique angles and its application as a buffer layer for GaN-based light-emitting diodes (LEDs) that are fabricated on sapphire substrates. The OA-AlN nanocolumnar layer has a diameter of about 30-60 nm. The GaN-based LED structure is perpendicularly extended from the OA-AlN nanocolumnar layer. Then, the nanocolumnar structure is merged into p-GaN layer to form a mesa structure with a diameter of about 200-600 nm on the surface of the GaN-based LED. Moreover, optical characteristics of the LED were studied using photoluminescence, along with the blue-shifts observed as well.     

Infrared cathodoluminescence of AlN

Measurements were made of cathode-ray excited infrared luminescence band of AlN powder in the temperature range 110 K to 535 K. The form of the temperature-dependent luminescence band and the temperature dependence of the band half-width were used in the determination of the value of the Huang-Rhys factor (S 2) as well as of the frequency of phonons (441 cm^–1) interacting with electron transition. A discussion is presented of the possibility of interaction between an infrared luminescence centre and branch of natural transverse acoustic vibrations of the AlN lattice.Na Slovance 2, Praha 8, Czechoslovakia.The author is indebted to Dr. J. Pastrák for valuable advice and suggestions concerning the measurement as well as the evaluation. Thanks are also due to Mr. J. Hejduk and Mr. J. Veselý for the preparation of AlN powders, and to Dr. V. Kohl for the setting-up of the programme and the computer calculations.     

Investigation of AlN growth on sapphire substrates in a horizontal MOVPE reactor

AlN growth was performed on c-plane sapphire substrates by metalorganic vapor phase epitaxy (MOVPE) using trimethylaluminium (TMAl) and ammonia. The influence of the carrier gases H₂ and N₂ and their mixtures on the surface morphology and structural characteristics was investigated as well as the influence of the growth temperature of the total source partial pressure and of the TMAl substrate pretreatment. It was found that smoother layers and better structural characteristics are obtained for lower source partial pressures. Decreasing of growth temperature led to improvement of surface morphology, and increasing of nitrogen in gas phase led to improvement structural quality of the layer. A pretreatment of the substrate leads to rougher layers.     

Solvothermal synthesis of AlN

Abstract

Aluminum nitride is an important material due to its physical properties (electronic, thermal conductivity…). Different processes have been used for preparing such a material. The solvothermal synthesis is characterised by the use of a solvent in supercritical conditions in order to improve the reactivity of the precursors and to control the size of the crystalhtes. Using finely divided aluminum particles as precursor, a new process for the preparation of AlN has been optimised versus the thermodynamical parameters: pressure and temperature and the nature of the additive used for improving the kinetics of nitridation.     

Robust tori in a double-waved Hamiltonian model

A Hamiltonian system perturbed by two waves with particular wave numbers can present robust tori, which are barriers created by the vanishing of the perturbed Hamiltonian at some defined positions. When robust tori exist, any trajectory in phase space passing close to them is blocked by emergent invariant curves that prevent the chaotic transport. Our results indicate that the considered particular solution for the two waves Hamiltonian model shows plenty of robust tori blocking radial transport.     

Luminescence mechanisms of oxygen-related defects in AlN

Spectral characteristics of native oxygen-related defects existing in the crystalline lattice of AlN were studied. Features of photoluminescence observed under exposure to ultraviolet light together with those of the photostimulated luminescence testify the recombination character of luminescence. The mechanism of luminescence of oxygen-related defects is proposed.     

Localised transitions in luminescence of AlN ceramics

The photoluminescence (PL) and thermoluminescence (TL) properties of AlN ceramics revealed under UV irradiation are determined mainly by oxygen-related centres, giving rise to the UV (around 3.18 eV) and the Blue (2.58 eV) bands. It was found that the UV irradiation-generated donor–acceptor pairs (DAPs), responsible for the UV emission band, are randomly distributed with regard to separation distance. Luminescence properties of AlN are interpreted basing on the model of localised recombination involving electron tunnel transitions from the excited state of D to the ground state of A, proposed by Jain et al. (2012). The observed features of PL, afterglow and TL of AlN ceramics are explained by dependence of tunnelling recombination probability on separation distance between D and A implied by the used model.     

First-principles study on ferromagnetism in C-doped AlN

First-principles calculations are performed to study the electronic structures and magnetic properties of C-doped AlN. Both generalized gradient approximation (GGA) and GGA+U calculations show that a substitutional C atom introduces magnetic moment of about 1.0 μB, which comes from the partially occupied 2p orbitals of the C, its first neighboring Al and first neighboring N atoms (GGA) or out-of-plane first and fifth neighboring N atoms (GGA+U), among which the atomic moment of the C is the biggest. The U correction for the anion-2p states obviously changes the magnetic moment distribution of Al and N atoms and transforms the ground state of C-doped AlN to insulating from half-metallic. The C atoms can induce ferromagnetic ground state with long-range couplings between the moments in C-doped AlN. The ferromagnetic coupling can be explained in terms of the two band coupling model.     

Mechanism of thermoluminescence in AlN:O

Thermoluminescence of AlN: O in the 80–420 K temperature range is described. Two mechanisms are proposed for its explanation: the release of charges due to thermal ionization of the centres and migration of charges on the impurity centres. The probability of the occurrence of impurity migration is discussed.The authors are indebted to Dr. J.Pastrák, CSc for valuable discussions, stimulating hints and his interest in the present work. They are also grateful to Ing. J.Hejduk and his collaborators for preparation of samples and for chemical analyses.