A study of the degree of relaxation of AlGaN epilayers on GaN template

The strain state of 570 nm Al_xGa_1−xN layers grown on 600 nm GaN template by metal organic chemical vapor deposition was studied using Rutherford backscattering (RBS)/channeling and triple-axis X-ray diffraction measurements. The results showed that the degree of relaxation (R) of Al_xGa_1−xN layers increased almost linearly when x0.42 and reached to 70% when x=0.42. Above 0.42, the value of R varied slowly and Al_xGa_1−xN layers almost full relaxed when x=1 (AlN). In this work the underlying GaN layer was in compressive strain, which resulted in the reduction of lattice misfit between GaN and Al_xGa_1−xN, and a 570 nm Al_xGa_1−xN layer with the composition of about 0.16 might be grown on GaN coherently from the extrapolation. The different shape of (0 0 0 4) diffraction peak was discussed to be related to the relaxation.     

Analysis of the threshold current in nitride-based lasers

Using optical gain measurements and calculated optical gain spectra we analyse the various contributions to the threshold current observed for laser diodes. Our model is based on band-to-band transitions and includes internal polarization fields as well as multiple quantum wells. Besides good agreement between experiment and theory, our model explains the characteristic dependence of the threshold current on emission wavelength and well number.     

Electronic structure of ScN, YN, LaN and GdN superlattices

Using the plane wave version of the full potential linear muffin-tin orbital (FPLMTO) method, which enables an accurate treatment of the interstitial regions, the electronic properties of ScN, YN, LaN and GdN rocksalt/rocksalt superlattices are calculated. It is found that apart from YN/ScN, all the other superlattices have negative bandgaps. However, it is shown that these systems can be semiconductors if a correction is made to the local density approximation (LDA).     

Polariton thermalization in GaN microcavities in the strong light–matter coupling regime

We discuss the thermalization of the polariton population from a bulk GaN λ/2 microcavity at room temperature. Simultaneous optical measurements of reflectivity and photoluminescence (PL), as well as time resolved measurements, reveal strong light–matter coupling. Transfer matrix theory is used to calculate reflectivity, absorption, and transmission coefficients for the structure. The PL emission is found to be thermalized, despite its very short lifetime, suggesting the existence of very fast energy relaxation channels.     

The effect of a nitrogen-rich surface layer on the sub-surface deuterium (hydrogen) concentration distribution in titanium

Deuterium and nitrogen depth profiles in Ti with modified surfaces have been measured with Auger electron spectroscopy, secondary ion mass spectroscopy, and D(³He,p)⁴He nuclear reaction analysis. Nitrogen-rich surfaces layers of varying thicknesses were created on Ti by exposure to N₂ gas at 650°C. Deuterium loading was performed by exposure to 1 Torr of D₂ gas at 500°C. The deuterium distribution was influenced by nitrogen in the near-surface regions of all samples. Specifically, deuterium solubility was suppressed in surface regions of high (greater than 1%) nitrogen concentration. The deuterium solubility also remained low within the first few microns, well beyond the region of high nitrogen concentration. This effect is attributed to internal elastic stresses imposed by the non-deuterium absorbing nitrogen-rich layer on the Ti. These stresses prohibit the volume expansion associated with deuterium absorption. We estimate stresses on the order of 3–4 GPa are required to suppress the deuterium solubility to the values observed. The deuterium absorption kinetics were observed to depend systematically on the thickness of the nitrogen-rich layer. This is consistent with limited solubility near the surface or a surface poisoning effect influencing the overall deuterium diffusion from the gas phase into the Ti bulk.     

Ammonia Decomposition over Bimetallic Nitrides Supported on g-Al_2O_3

Transition metal nitrides belong to a class of interstitial compounds, in which nitrogen atoms replace oxygen. They possess some technologically useful properties as packaging materials, structural materials and catalytic materials. Since Boudart1 succeeded to prepare high specific surface area g-Mo2N in 1985 using the NH3 temperatureprogrammed reduction method, transition metal nitrides have attracted much attention as potential catalysts owing to their similarity with the group VIII met…     

Influence of cracks generation on the structural and optical properties of GaN/Al0.55Ga0.45N multiple quantum wells

Both cracked and crack-free GaN/Al_0.55Ga_0.45N multiple quantum wells (MQWs) grown on GaN template by metalorganic chemical vapor deposition have been studied by triple-axis X-ray diffraction, grazing-incidence X-ray reflectivity, atomic force microscope, photoluminescence spectroscopy and low-energy positron annihilation spectroscopy. The experimental results show that cracks generation not only deteriorates the surface morphology, but also leads to a period dispersion and roughens the interfaces of MQWs. The mean density of dislocations in MQWs, determined from the average full-width at half-maximum of ω-scan of each satellite peak, has been significantly enhanced by the cracks generation. Furthermore, the measurement of annihilation-line Doppler broadening reveals a higher concentration of negatively charged vacancies in the cracked MQWs. The combination of these vacancies and the high density of edge dislocations are assumed to contribute to the highly enhanced yellow luminescence in the cracked sample.     

Nitridation of niobium oxide films by rapid thermal processing

The possibility of forming niobium oxynitride through the nitridation of niobium oxide films in molecular nitrogen by rapid thermal processing (RTP) was investigated. Niobium films 200 and 500 nm thick were deposited via sputtering onto Si(100) wafers covered with a thermally grown SiO₂ layer 100 nm thick. These as-deposited films exhibited distinct texture effects. They were processed in two steps using an RTP system. The as-deposited niobium films were first oxidized under an oxygen atmosphere at 450 °C for various periods of time and subsequently nitridated under a nitrogen atmosphere at temperatures ranging from 600 to 1000 °C for 1 min. Investigations of the oxidized films showed that samples where the start of niobium pentoxide formation was detected at the surface and the film bulk still consisted of a substoichiometric NbO_x phase exhibited distinctly lower surface roughness and microcrack densities than samples where complete oxidation of the film to Nb₂O₅ had occurred. The niobium oxide phases formed at the Nb/substrate interface also showed distinct texture. Zones of niobium oxide phases like NbO and NbO₂, which did not exist in the initial oxidized films, were formed during the nitridation. This is attributed to a “snow-plough effect” produced by the diffusion of nitrogen into the film, which pushes the oxygen deeper into the film bulk. These oxide phases, in particular the NbO₂ zone, act as barriers to the in-diffusion of nitrogen and also inhibit the outdiffusion of oxygen from the SiO₂ substrate layer. Nitridation of the partially oxidized niobium films in molecular nitrogen leads to the formation of various niobium oxide and nitride phases, but no indication of niobium oxynitride formation was found. Figure Schematic representation of the phase distribution in 200 nm Nb film on SiO₂/Si substrate after two steps annealing using an RTP system. The plot below represents the SIMS depth profiles of the nitridated sample with the phase assignment