Dislocation Reduction Mechanisms in Gallium Nitride Films Grown by Canti-Bridge Epitaxy Method

By using the special maskless V-grooved c-plane sapphire as the substrate, we previously developed a novel GaN LEO method, or the so-called canti-bridge epitaxy （CBE）, and consequently wing-tilt-free GaN films were obtained with low dislocation densities, with which all the conventional difficulties can be overcome [J. Vacuum Sci. Technol. B 23 （2005） 2476]. Here the evolution manner of dlslocations in the CBE GaN films is investigated using transmission electron microscopy. The mechanisms of dislocation reduction are discussed. Dislocation behaviour is found to be similar to that in the conventional LEO GaN films except the enhanced dislocation-combination at the coalescence boundary that is a major dislocation-reduction mechanism for the bent horizontal-propagating dislocations in the CBE GaN films. The enhancement of this dislocation-combination probability is believed to result from the inclined shape and the undulate morphology of the sidewalls, which can be readily obtained in a wide range of applicable film-growth conditions during the GaN CBE process. Further development of the GaN CBE method and better crystal-quality of the GaN film both are expected.     

Ion-beam-assisted MBE growth of semi-spherical SiGe/Si nano-structures

Semi-spherical SiGe/Si nano-structures of a new type are presented. Epitaxial islands of 30–40 nm in base diameter and 11 nm in height and having a density of about 6×10¹⁰ cm^-2 were produced on (001) Si by molecular beam epitaxial growth of Si/Si_0.5Ge_0.5 layers with in situ implantation of 1-keV As⁺ ions. It was found by cross-section transmission electron microscopy that the islands have a complicated inner structure and consist of a micro-twin nucleus and semi-spherical nano-layers of various SiGe compositions. The nature of the surface patterning is interpreted by stress relaxation through implantation-induced defects. Received: 12 July 2001 / Accepted: 4 September 2001 / Published online: 2 October 2001     

Modified growth of Ge quantum dots using C2H4 mediation by ultra-high vacuum chemical vapor deposition

C₂H₄ mediations were used to modify the Stranski-Krastanow growth mode of Ge dots on Si(0 0 1) at 550 °C by ultra-high vacuum chemical vapor deposition. With appropriate C₂H₄-mediation to modify the Si surface, the elongated Ge hut clusters can be transformed to highly uniform Ge domes with a high Ge composition at the core. These C₂H₄-mediated Ge dots, almost bounded by {1 1 3} facets, have an average diameter and height of 55 and 9 nm, respectively. We propose two major mechanisms to depict the formation of these C₂H₄-mediated Ge dots: (i) an almost hydrogen-passivated Si surface to limit the nucleation sites for dot formation, and (ii) the incorporation of Ge atoms, repelled by the C-rich areas, into the existing Ge dots. This work provides a useful scheme to tune the topography of Ge dots in an UHV/CVD condition for possible optoelectronic applications.     

Structural and electronic properties of PbTe (rocksalt)/CdTe (zinc-blende) interfaces

We study interfaces between highly ionic crystals with different crystal structure by first-principles total-energy calculations in the repeated-slab approximation and compare the results with experimental data extracted from high-resolution transmission electron micrographs. The non-polar (1 1 0) interface between PbTe (rocksalt) and CdTe (zinc-blende) crystals gives rise to a lateral spatial offset between the two crystal halves. At the polar (1 0 0) interfaces a strong variation of the interface extent with respect to the cation or anion termination is observed. Furthermore, we calculate band offsets and projected interface band-structures for PbTe/CdTe interfaces. The results are discussed versus the interface orientation.     

Formation mechanisms of GaN nanorods grown on Si(1 1 1) substrates

Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images, transmission electron microscopy (TEM) images, and selected-area electron diffraction (SAED) patterns showed that vertically well aligned GaN nanorods with c-axis-oriented crystalline wurzite structures were grown on Si(1 1 1) substrates by using hydride vapor phase epitaxy. The high-resolution TEM (HRTEM) images showed that the crystallized GaN nanorods contained very few defects and that they were consisted of , {0 0 0 1}, and { } facets. The formation mechanisms for the GaN nanorods grown on Si(1 1 1) substrates are described on the basis of the SEM, TEM, SAED pattern, and HRTEM results.     

Evolution of Ge and SiGe Quantum Dots under Excimer Laser Annealing

We present different relaxation mechanisms of Ge and SiGe quantum dots under excimer laser annealing. Investigation of the coarsening and relaxation of the dots shows that the strain in Ge dots on Ge films is relaxed by dislocation since there is no interface between the Ge dots and the Ge layer, while the SiGe dots on Si0.77Ge0.23 film relax by lattice distortion to coherent dots, which results from the obvious interface between the SiGe dots and the Si0.77Ge0.23 film. The results are suggested and sustained by Vanderbilt and Wickham＇s theory, and also demonstrate that no bulk diffusion occurs during the excimer laser annealing.     

Heterojunction light emitting diodes fabricated with different n-layer oxide structures on p-GaN layers by magnetron sputtering

We grew heterojunction light emitting diode (LED) structures with various n-type semiconducting layers by magnetron sputtering on p-type GaN at high temperature. Because the undoped ZnO used as an active layer was grown under oxygen rich atmosphere, all LED devices showed the EL characteristics corresponding to orange-red wavelength due to high density of oxygen interstitial, which was coincident with the deep level photoluminescence emission of undoped ZnO. The use of the Ga doped layers as a top layer provided the sufficient electron carriers to active region and resulted in the intense EL emission. The LED sample with small quantity of Mg incorporated in MgZnO as an n-type top layer showed more intense emission than the LED with ZnO, in spite of the deteriorated electrical and structural properties of the MgZnO film. This might be due to the improvement of output extraction efficiency induced by rough surface.