Structural properties of GaN(0001) epitaxial layers revealed by high resolution X-ray diffraction

High-resolution X-ray diffraction has been used to analyze GaN(0001) epitaxial layers on sapphire substrates. Several structural properties of GaN, including the lattice constants, strains, and dislocation densities are revealed by the technique of X-ray dffraction (XRD). Lattice constants calculated from the omega/2theta scan are c=0.5185 nm and a=0.3157 nm. Also, the in-plane strain is -1.003%, while out of the plane, the epitaxial film is almost relaxed. Several methods are used to deduce the mosaicity a...     

Influences of misfit strains on liquid phase heteroepitaxial growth

Influences of misfit strains with different signs on liquid phase heteroepitaxial growth are studied by binary phase field crystal model. It is amazing to find that double islands are formed because of lateral and vertical separation. The morphological evolution of epitaxial layer depends on signs of misfit strains. The maximum atomic layer thickness of double islands under negative misfit strain is larger than that of under positive misfit strain at the same evolutional time, and size differences between light and dark islands is much smaller under negative misfit strain than that of under positive misfit strain. In addition, concentration field and density field approximately have similar variational law along x direction under the same misfit strain but show opposite variational trend under misfit strains with different signs. Generally, free energy of epitaxial growth systems keeps similar variational trend under misfit strains with different signs.     

衬底的Al化处理对AlN性能的影响

研究了衬底的Al化处理对采用MOCVD法在c面蓝宝石衬底上高温生长AlN外延层的影响机制.通过原位监测监控整个外延生长过程,同时对AlN外延层的表面形貌和晶体质量以及应变状态进行表征研究.结果表明衬底的Al化处理导致AlN外延层的表面更加平整但是晶体质量下降,同时对外延层的应变也有很明显的影响.     

Spatially resolved X‐ray diffraction as a tool for strain analysis in laterally modulated epitaxial structures

Spatially resolved X‐ray diffraction (SRXRD) is applied for micro‐imaging of strain in laterally modulated epitaxial structures. In GaAs layers grown by liquid phase epitaxial lateral overgrowth (ELO) on SiO₂‐masked GaAs substrates a downward tilt of ELO wings caused by their interaction with the mask is observed. The distribution of the tilt magnitude across the wings width is determined with μm‐scale spatial resolution. This allows measuring of the shape of the lattice planes in individual ELO stripes. If a large area of the sample is studied the X‐ray imaging provides precise information on the tilt of an individual wing and its distribution. In heteroepitaxial GaSb/GaAs ELO layers local mosaicity in the wing area is found. By the SRXRD the size of microblocks and their relative misorientation were analyzed. Finally, the SRXRD technique was applied to study distribution of localized strain in AlGaN epilayers grown by MOVPE on bulk GaN substrates with AlN mask. X‐ray mapping proves that by mask patterning strain in AlGaN layer can be easily engineered, which opens a way to produce thicker, crack‐free AlGaN layers with a higher Al content needed in GaN‐based laser diodes. All these examples show that high spatial and angular resolutions offered by SRXRD makes the technique a powerful tool to study local lattice distortions in semiconductor microstructures. (© 2009 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

TaN/TiN和NbN/TiN纳米结构多层膜超硬效应及超硬机理研究

采用射频磁控溅射方法制备单层TaN,NbN和TiN薄膜和不同调制周期的TaN/TiN和NbN/TiN纳米多层膜.薄膜采用X射线衍射仪、高分辨率透射电子显微镜和显微硬度仪进行表征.结果表明TaN/TiN和NbN/TiN纳米多层膜在一定的调制周期范围内均呈共格界面,相应地均出现了超硬效应,且最大硬度值接近.分析了TaN/TiN与NbN/TiN纳米多层膜的超硬机理,TaN/TiN的晶格错配度与NbN/TiN的接近,但TaN/TiN的弹性模量差与NbN/TiN的有一定的差别,表明由于晶格错配使共格外延生长在界面处 关键词： TaN/TiN纳米多层膜 NbN/TiN纳米多层膜 外延生长 超硬效应     

宽周期掩膜法HVPE侧向外延自支撑GaN的研究

GaN膜在传统生长过程中主要通过异质外延获得,这往往会产生晶格失配和热失配,给GaN带来严重的位错和应力。目前降低位错最广泛的方法是使用侧向外延技术。在这项工作中,首先在蓝宝石基GaN衬底上沉积了一层SiO₂,并用光刻的方法将其制备成高掩膜宽度(窗口宽度20 μm/掩膜宽度280 μm)的宽周期掩膜,再通过氢化物气相外延(HVPE)侧向外延了厚度为325 μm的GaN厚膜,通过胶带可以将其进行剥离形成自支撑衬底。同时通过二维的Wulff结构图研究了GaN生长过程中晶面的变化趋势。宽周期掩膜法对于生长可剥离的低位错密度自支撑GaN有着重大意义。     

以Au为缓冲层在Si衬底上生长ZnO薄膜

采用化学气相沉积(CVD)方法在Si(001)衬底上分别制备了有金属Au缓冲层以及无Au缓冲层的ZnO薄膜。其中Au缓冲层在物理气相沉积(PVD)设备中蒸发,厚度大约为300nm。有Au缓冲层的ZnO薄膜晶体质量比直接在Si衬底上生长有了显著提高。利用X射线衍射(XRD)研究了所生长ZnO薄膜的结晶质量,有Au缓冲层的ZnO薄膜虽然仍为多晶,但显示出明显的择优取向。用光学显微镜研究了ZnO薄膜的表面特征,金属Au缓冲层显著地提高了在Si衬底上生长的ZnO薄膜的晶粒尺寸及平整度。同时利用室温光致发光(PL)谱研究了ZnO薄膜的光学性质,并分析了有Au缓冲层的ZnO薄膜NEB发光峰强度反而弱的可能原因。     

硅基低位错密度厚锗外延层的UHV/CVD法生长

利用超高真空化学气相淀积系统, 基于低温缓冲层和插入应变超晶格的方法, 在Si(100)衬底上外延出厚度约为880 nm的纯Ge层. 采用X射线双晶衍射、高分辨透射电镜、原子力显微镜和光致发光谱分别表征了其结构及光学性质. 测试结果显示外延Ge的X射线双晶衍射曲线半高宽为273", 表面均方根粗糙度为0.24 nm, 位错密度约为1.5×10⁶ cm². 在室温下观测到外延Ge的直接带跃迁光致发光, 发光峰值位于1540 nm. 表明生长的Si基Ge材料具有良好的结晶质量, 可望在Si基光电子器件中得到应用.     

Heterogeneous nucleation of dislocation loops under epitaxial strain

Heterogeneous nucleation of dislocation loops driven by high epitaxial strain describes a possible failure mode of multi-layer superlattice structures. The present paper furnishes a close form solution for the two-dimensional mechanics analysis. A three-dimensional BEM calculation facilitated by a singularity exclusion scheme is conducted for circular dislocation loops nucleated from a spherical void. The results show that the critical epitaxial strain necessary to nucleate a dislocation loop minimizes at an intermediate range of defect sizes.Sponsored by the National Natural Science Foundation of China.