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Characterization of InGaN and InAlN Epilayers by Microdiffraction X-Ray Reciprocal Space Mapping

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  08 February 2012

V. Kachkanov ,
I.P. Dolbnya ,
K.P. O’Donnell ,
K. Lorenz ,
S. Pereira ,
R.W. Martin ,
P.R. Edwards  and
I.M. Watson
V. Kachkanov
Affiliation:
Diamond Light Source Ltd, Didcot, United Kingdom
I.P. Dolbnya
Affiliation:
Diamond Light Source Ltd, Didcot, United Kingdom
K.P. O’Donnell
Affiliation:
Department of Physics, SUPA, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, Scotland, United Kingdom
K. Lorenz
Affiliation:
Instituto Tecnologico e Nuclear, Sacavem, Portugal.
S. Pereira
Affiliation:
CICECO, Departamento de Fisica and I3N, Universidade de Aveiro, Aveiro, Portugal
R.W. Martin
Affiliation:
Department of Physics, SUPA, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, Scotland, United Kingdom
P.R. Edwards
Affiliation:
Department of Physics, SUPA, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, Scotland, United Kingdom
I.M. Watson
Affiliation:
Institute of Photonics, SUPA, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, Scotland, United Kingdom
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Abstract

We report a study of InGaN and InAlN epilayers grown on GaN/Sapphire substrates by microfocused three-dimensional X-ray Reciprocal Space Mapping (RSM). The analysis of the full volume of reciprocal space, while probing samples on the microscale with a focused X-ray beam, allows us to gain uniquely valuable information about the microstructure of III-N alloy epilayers. It is found that “seed” InGaN mosaic nanocrystallites are twisted with respect to the ensemble average and strain free. This indicates that the growth of InGaN epilayers follows the Volmer-Weber mechanism with nucleation of “seeds” on strain fields generated by the a-type dislocations which are responsible for the twist of underlying GaN mosaic blocks. In the case of InAlN epilayer formation of composition gradient was observed at the beginning of the epitaxial growth.

Keywords

microstructurenitridex-ray diffraction (XRD)
Type
Research Article
Information
MRS Online Proceedings Library (OPL) , Volume 1396: Symposium O – Compound Semiconductors for Generating, Emitting and Manipulating Energy , 2012 , mrsf11-1396-o06-11
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2012

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References

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