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A systematic investigation on the effects of growth temperature, Ga flux, and Sb flux on the incorporation of Sb, film structure, and optical properties of the GaN1-xSbx highly mismatched alloys (HMAs) was carried out. We found that the direct bandgap ranging from 3.4 eV to below 1.0 eV for the alloys grown at low temperature. At the growth temperature of 80 °C, GaN1-xSbx with x > 6% losses crystallinity and becomes primarily amorphous with small crystallites of 2-5 nm. Despite the range of microstructures found for GaN1-xSbx alloys with different composition, a well-developed absorption edge shifts from 3.4 eV (GaN) to close to 2 eV for samples with a small amount, less than 10% of Sb. Luminescence from dilute GaN1-xSbx alloys grown at high temperature and the bandgap energy for alloys with higher Sb content are consistent with a localized substitutional Sb level ESb at ~1.1 eV above the valence band of GaN. The decrease in the bandgap of GaN1-xSbx HMAs is consistent with the formation of a Sb-derived band due to the anticrossing interaction of the Sb states with the valence band of GaN. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent work has shown that GaN1-xAsx can be grown across the entire composition range by low temperature molecular beam epitaxy with intermediate compositions being amorphous, but control of the electrical properties through doping is critical for functionalizing this material. Here we report the bipolar doping of GaN1-xAsx with high As content to conductivities above 4 S/cm at room temperature using Mg or Te. The carrier type was confirmed by thermopower measurements. Doping requires an increase in Ga flux during growth resulting in a mixed phase material of polycrystalline GaAs:N embedded in amorphous GaN1-xAsx. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An x-ray method is described for the structure characterization of semiordered GaN nanorods. In contrast to other works based on synchrotron radiation, the method uses a standard x-ray laboratory equipment so that it is suitable for a rapid characterization of the nanorods in a technological laboratory. The method uses a grazing-incidence diffraction setup and it makes it possible to determine the mean size of the rods and their angular twist with respect to the crystalline substrate. The applicability of the method is demonstrated on a series of GaN nanorod samples and the parameters of the nanorods are compared with the results of scanning electron microscopy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The energy relaxation rate for hot electrons in n-type GaN epilayers has been measured over the temperature range 1.5-300 K. Several samples grown by molecular-beam epitaxy and having different electron concentrations have been studied. At low electron temperatures (T[sub e]<20 K), the energy relaxation is via acoustic phonon emission. The magnitude and temperature dependence of the energy relaxation are found to be in good agreement with theoretical calculations using appropriate values of the deformation potential and piezoelectric coupling constants and ignoring screening. For T[sub e]>=70 K, the dominant mechanism of energy loss is optic phonon emission. For the several samples studied, consistent values of the optic phonon energy and electron-optic phonon relaxation time, 90±4 meV and 5-10 fs, respectively, are measured. The energy agrees well with values obtained by other methods and the relaxation time is consistent with theoretical calculations of the Fro¨hlich interaction and indicate that hot phonon effects are absent up to 10[sup -8] W/electron dissipation. © 2001 American Institute of Physics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this letter, we study the optical properties of GaN1-xSbx thin films. Films with an Sb fraction up to 42% were synthesized by alternating GaN-GaSb layers at a constant temperature of 325 °C. The measured optical absorption data of the films are interpreted using a modified band anticrossing model that is applicable to highly mismatched alloys such as GaN1-xSbx in the entire composition range. The presented model allows us to more accurately determine the band gap as well as the band edges over the entire composition range thereby providing means for determining the composition for, e.g., efficient spontaneous photoelectrochemical cell applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We have studied time-integrated and time-resolved photoluminescence (PL) spectra and the transport properties of cubic GaN layers doped with different amounts of either magnesium (p-type) or silicon (n-type). In Mg doped material a broad blue peak was observed whose origin in cubic material has not been well established. Our temperature dependent and time resolved PL results as well as the observation of strong self-compensation in Mg-doped cubic GaN have allowed us to present a model for the origin of this emission in cubic material. (© 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim) [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Photoluminescence in the 1.2-1.4 eV spectral range from GaN:As layers grown on (0001) Al2O3 substrates was observed and studied. The photoluminescence is attributed to radiative recombination in GaAs nanocrystallites, self-organized in the GaN matrix during growth. The photoluminescence intensity attains a maximum at a growth temperature of ∼780°C, which is explained by the competition between several temperature-dependent processes that affect the formation of GaAs nanocrystallites. Sharp emission lines were observed at the high-energy edge of the photoluminescence band. These lines are caused by an emission of bound excitons in the GaAs nanocrystallites and by phonon replicas of the bound-exciton emission. The energies of the corresponding optical phonons are typical of GaAs. The photoluminescence-excitation spectra exhibit features related to resonantly excited free and bound excitons as well as to excitons formed simultaneously with the emission of optical phonons. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Transmission electron microscopy was used to study the microstructure of GaN films undoped or Si-doped to 10[sup 17] or 10[sup 18] cm[sup -3] and grown by molecular-beam epitaxy on (0001) Al[sub 2]O[sub 3] substrate without nitridation or a buffer layer. Defect structures including inversion domains, nanopipes, and (0001) stacking faults were studied. The influence of Si doping on the threading dislocation density and the dimensions of GaN grains bounded by inversion domains was assessed. Smoothing of the steplike morphology of the GaN film surface occurs at a Si concentration of 10[sup 17] cm[sup -3]. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A detailed study of the effect of rapid thermal annealing in a N[sub 2] or Ar atmosphere on the properties of thin GaN layers grown by molecular-beam epitaxy on sapphire substrates was performed. After rapid thermal annealing, an enhancement of the crystal quality of such films was observed. Low-temperature photoluminescence measurements revealed a substantial increase in impurity recombination near the fundamental absorption edge after a rapid high-temperature anneal in a nitrogen atmosphere. A significant decrease in the impurity photoluminescence of the GaN films with protective SiO[sub 2] coatings was observed following the anneals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Measurements of the current-voltage characteristics of zinc-blende (cubic) Al0.3Ga0.7N/GaN, double barrier resonant tunneling diodes are presented. Clear and reproducible negative differential resistance effects are observed, with room temperature peak-to-valley ratios up to 4 and peak currents up to about 1000 A cm-2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We describe the generation of pulses of monochromatic acoustic phonons by ultrafast laser excitation of a gallium nitride/aluminium nitride superlattice (SL). The SL response to the optical excitation was studied using femtosecond pump-probe measurements. Superconducting bolometers were used to detect the phonons that leak out of the SL and propagate across the substrate. We see that, for excitation wavelengths around 430 nm, a pronounced enhancement in the longitudinal acoustic phonon signal occurs. The results are consistent with similar measurements using GaAs/AlAs SL’s, where propagating monochromatic phonons were generated under resonant photoexcitation [Appl. Phys. Lett. 81, 3497 (2002)]. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The electrical properties of p-type cubic (Ga,Mn)N films are reported. Hole concentrations above 1018 cm-3 at room temperature are observed. Activated behavior is observed down to 150 K, with an acceptor ionization energy of around 45–60 meV. The dependence of hole concentration and ionization energy on Mn concentration indicates that the shallow acceptor level is not simply due to unintentional codoping. Thermopower measurements on freestanding films, capacitance–voltage profilometry, and the dependence of conductivity on thickness and growth temperature, all show that this is not due to diffusion into the substrate. We therefore associate the p-type conductivity with the presence of the Mn in the cubic GaN films. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Long decay times in the 50-150 ns range have been measured for the characteristic blue photoluminescence that peaks at 2.6 eV in GaN:As. We interpret these long decay times according to the theoretical predictions that this blue photoluminescence is caused by the incorporation of arsenic on the gallium site. The long decay times are characteristics of the large lattice relaxation for such a deep donor with a negative-U center behavior. © 2001 American Institute of Physics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lattice parameters of gallium nitride were measured using high-resolution x-ray diffraction. The following samples were examined: (i) single crystals grown at pressure of about 15 kbar, (ii) homoepitaxial layers, (iii) heteroepitaxial layers (wurtzite structure) on silicon carbide, on sapphire, and on gallium arsenide, (iv) cubic gallium nitride layers on gallium arsenide. The differences between the samples are discussed in terms of their concentrations of free electrons and structural defects. © 1996 American Institute of Physics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The authors have studied the growth of bulk, freestanding zinc-blende (cubic) GaN layers by plasma-assisted molecular beam epitaxy (PA-MBE). They have established that the best structural properties of freestanding zinc-blende GaN can be achieved with initiation under Ga-rich conditions but without Ga droplet formation. It is difficult to initiate the growth of zinc-blende GaN, but it is even more difficult to sustain the growth of the pure zinc-blende polytype in thick layers without any wurtzite inclusions. In order to grow high quality freestanding cubic GaN layers, it is necessary to maintain the same growth conditions for about 1 week. The best quality zinc-blende phase GaN was achieved in the first 10 μm of the GaN layers. The authors have produced zinc-blende GaN substrates from our thick bulk GaN layers and they used the side previously attached to the GaAs substrate as the episide of these zinc-blende GaN substrates. They have demonstrated the scalability of the process by growing zinc-blende GaN layers on 2 and 3 in. diameter wafers. The growth of freestanding bulk GaN layers has allowed them to refine the value for the lattice parameter of zinc-blende GaN as 4.510±0.005 Å. They have demonstrated that the PA-MBE process developed has allowed them to grow freestanding AlxGa1-xN wafers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The authors have succeeded in growing GaN1-xAsx alloys over a large composition range (02 flux at low (as low as 100 °C) growth temperatures, which is much below the normal GaN growth temperature range. Using x-ray and transmission electron microscopy, they found that the GaNAs alloys with high As content x>0.17 are amorphous. Optical absorption measurements together with x-ray absorption and emission spectroscopy results reveal a continuous gradual decrease in band gap from ∼3.4 to <1 eV with increasing As content. The energy gap reaches its minimum of ∼0.8 eV at x∼0.8. The composition dependence of the band gap of the crystalline GaN1-xAsx alloys follows the prediction of the band anticrossing model (BAC). However, our measured band gap of amorphous GaN1-xAsx with 0.31-xAsx alloys have short-range ordering that resembles random crystalline GaN1-xAsx alloys. They have demonstrated the possibility of the growth of amorphous GaN1-xAsx layers with variable As content on glass substrates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phonon-drag imaging has been used to study the electron-phonon interaction in a low-mobility n-type gallium nitride (GaN) epilayer grown by molecular beam epitaxy on sapphire. Currents up to j=4.7x10[sup 3] A/m[sup 2] were induced by transverse acoustic phonon drag of electrons in this structure. Such currents are much bigger than predicted by the conventional theory of electron-phonon interaction. We explain this difference by the fact that, in low-mobility GaN, the 2k[sub F] cutoff for electron-phonon transitions is relaxed. © 2000 American Institute of Physics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Arsenic doped GaN grown by molecular beam epitaxy has been studied by room temperature photoluminescence. In addition to the wurzite band edge transition, luminescence from the cubic phase and very strong blue emission at ∼2.6 eV are observed. The intensities of the blue and the cubic band edge emissions have a power law dependence on the As[sub 2] flux. The formation of the cubic phase has been explained by the initial formation of GaAs before substitution of the As by the more reactive N. The intensity of the blue emission at room temperature of the As doped samples is more than an order of magnitude stronger than the band edge emission in undoped samples. © 2000 American Institute of Physics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Presents a corrected version of the article 'Study of GaN thin layers subjected to high-temperature rapid thermal annealing,' published in the October 1998 issue of 'Semiconductors.'

We present a Raman-scattering study of optical phonons in zinc-blende (cubic) GaN for temperatures ranging from 80 to 750 K. The experiments were performed on high-quality, cubic GaN films grown by molecular-beam epitaxy on GaAs (001) substrates. The observed temperature dependence of the optical phonon frequencies and linewidths is analyzed in the framework of anharmonic decay theory, and possible decay channels are discussed in the light of density-functional-theory calculations. The longitudinal-optical (LO) mode relaxation is found to occur via asymmetric decay into acoustic phonons, with an appreciable contribution of higher-order processes. The transverse-optical mode linewidth shows a weak temperature dependence and its frequency downshift is primarily determined by the lattice thermal expansion. The LO phonon lifetime is derived from the observed Raman linewidth and an excellent agreement with previous theoretical predictions is found. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]