Microstructure and strain analysis of GaN epitaxial films using in-plane grazing incidence x-ray diffraction

This paper investigates the major structural parameters, such as crystal quality and strain state of (001)-oriented GaN thin films grown on sapphire substrates by metalorganic chemical vapour deposition, using an in-plane grazing incidence x-ray diffraction technique. The results are analysed and compared with a complementary out-of-plane x-ray diffraction technique. The twist of the GaN mosaic structure is determined through the direct grazing incidence measurement of (100) reflection which agrees well with the result obtained by extrapolation method. The method for directly determining the in-plane lattice parameters of the GaN layers is also presented. Combined with the biaxial strain model, it derives the lattice parameters corresponding to fully relaxed GaN films. The GaN epilayers show an increasing residual compressive stress with increasing layer thickness when the two dimensional growth stage is established, reaching to a maximum level of -0.89 GPa.

X-ray evidence for Ge/Si(001) island columns in multilayer structure

A Ge/Si(0 0 1) multilayer structure is investigated by cross-sectional transmission electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy and double crystal X-lay diffraction. We find that the multilayer-structure-related satellite peaks in the rocking curve exhibit a similar nonuniform broadening and rye fit the zero-order peak with two Lorentz lineshapes. The ratio of the integrated intensity of two peaks is approximately equal with the anal ratio of the top Ge layer deposited between the areas that are and are not occupied by islands. It proves the existence of vertical-aligned island columns from the viewpoint of macroscopic dimension. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.

SYNTHESIS AND X-RAY CRYSTAL-STRUCTURE CHARACTERIZATION OF ZN2(HPO4)(3).H3NCH2CH2NH3

A novel framework material, Zn-2(HPO4)(3).H3NCH2CH2NH3, has been synthesised and its crystal structure determined by single crystal X-ray diffraction.

CRYSTALLINITY OF UNIFORM OLIGO(OXYETHYLENE) MONO-N-ALKYL ETHERS STUDIED BY X-RAY-DIFFRACTION AND DIFFERENTIAL SCANNING CALORIMETRY

The crystallinity of two series of uniform oligo(oxyethylene) mono-n-alkyl ethers has been investigated: alpha-alkyl,omega-hydroxyoligo(oxyethylene)s, H(CH2)n(OCH2CH2)mOH, and alpha-alkyl,omega-methoxyoligo(oxyethylene)s, H(CH2)n(OCH2CH2)mOCH3. The hydroxy-ended oligomers formed bilayer crystals, and the methoxy-ended oligomers formed monolayer crystals. The helical oxyethylene blocks were oriented normal to the layer-crystal end-group plane, whilst the trans-planar alkyl blocks were generally tilted at an angle delta = 60-degrees. The melting temperature and enthalpy of fusion were higher for hydroxy-ended oligomers than for corresponding methoxy-ended oligomers.

Gal(1-x)Mn(1-x)Sb Grown on GaSb with Mass-Analyzed Low-Energy Dual Ion Beam Deposition

The Ga1-xMnxSb samples were fabricated by the implantation of Mn ions into GaSb (1 0 0) substrate with mass-analyzed low-energy dual ion beam deposition system, and post-annealing. Auger electron spectroscopy depth profile of the Ga1-xMnxSb samples showed

Thermal mismatch stress in SiC whisker reinforced aluminium composite: new measurement method by X-ray diffraction

A new X-ray diffraction method for characterising thermal mismatch stress (TMS) in SiC_w–Al composite has been developed. The TMS and thermal mismatch strain (TMSN) in SiC whiskers are considered to be axis symmetrical, and can be calculated by measuring the lattice distortion of the whiskers. Not only the average TMS in whiskers and matrix can be obtained, but the TMS components along longitudinal and radial directions in the SiC whiskers can also be deduced. Experimental results indicate that the TMS in SiC whiskers is compressive, and tensile in the aluminium matrix. The TMS and TMSN components along the longitudinal direction in the SiC whiskers are greater than those along the radial direction for a SiC_w–Al composite quenched at 500°C.

Investigation of GaSb epilayer grown on vicinal GaAs(001) substrate by high resolution x-ray diffraction

GaSb epilayers grown on GaAs(001) vicinal substrate misoriented towards (111) plane were studied using high-resolution x-ray diffraction (HRXRD). The results show that GaSb epilayers exhibit positive crystallographic tilt and the distribution of 60 degrees misfit dislocations (MDs) is imbalanced. The vicinal substrate also leads to the anisotropy of the mosaic structure, i.e. the lateral coherent lengths in [1 (1) over bar0] directions are larger than those in [110] directions. Furthermore, the full-width at half maximum (FWHM) of the off-axis peaks varies with the inclination angle, which is a result of different dislocation densities in the {111} glide planes.

Determination of the tilt and twist angles of curved GaN layers by high-resolution x-ray diffraction

The full-width at half-maximum (FWHM) of an x-ray rocking curve (XRC) has been used as a parameter to determine the tilt and twist angles of GaN layers. Nevertheless, when the thickness of GaN epilayer reaches several microns, the peak broadening due to curvature becomes non-negligible. In this paper, using the (0 0 l), l = 2, 4, 6, XRC to minimize the effects of wafer curvature was studied systematically. Also the method to determine the tilt angle of a curved GaN layer was proposed while the Williamson-Hall plot was unsuitable. It was found that the (0 0 6) XRC-FWHM had a significant advantage for high-quality GaN layers with the radius curvature of r less than 3.5 m. Furthermore, an extrapolating method of gaining a reliable tilt angle has also been proposed, with which the calculated error can be improved by 10% for r < 2 m crystals compared with the (0 0 6) XRC-FWHM. In skew geometry, we have demonstrated that the twist angles deriving from the (2 0 4) XRC-FWHM are in accord with those from the grazing incidence in-plane diffraction (IP-GID) method for significantly curved samples.

Gal(1-x)Mn(1-x)Sb grown on GaSb with mass-analyzed low-energy dual ion beam deposition

The Ga1-xMnxSb samples were fabricated by the implantation of Mn ions into GaSb (1 0 0) substrate with mass-analyzed low-energy dual ion beam deposition system, and post-annealing. Auger electron spectroscopy depth profile of the Ga1-xMnxSb samples showed that the Mn ions were successfully implanted into GaSb substrate. Clear double-crystal X-ray diffraction patterns of the Ga1-xMnxSb samples indicate that the Ga1-xMnxSb epilayers have the zinc-blende structure without detectable second phase. Magnetic hysteresis-loop of the Ga1-xMnxSb epilayers were obtained at room temperature (293 K) with alternating gradient magnetometry. (c) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Depth dependent elastic strain in ZnO epilayer: combined Rutherford backscattering/channeling and X-ray diffraction

A ZnO layer was grown by metalorganic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) on a sapphire (0 0 0 1) substrate. The perpendicular and parallel elastic strain of the ZnO epilayer, e(perpendicular to) = 0.19%, e(parallel to) = -0.29%, respectively, were derived by using the combination of Rutherford backscattering (RBS)/channeling and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The ratio vertical bar e(parallel to)/ e(perpendicular to)vertical bar = 1.5 indicates that ZnO layer is much stiffer in the a-axis direction than in the c-axis direction. By using RBS/C, the depth dependent elastic strain was deduced. The strain is higher at the depth close to the interface and decreases towards the surface. The negative tetragonal distortion was explained by considering the lattice mismatch and thermal mismatch in ZnO thin film. (c) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Structural characterization of AlGaN/GaN superlattices by x-ray diffraction and Rutherford backscattering

We report on structural characterization of AlGaN/GaN superlattices grown on sapphire. The superlattice formation is evidenced by high-resolution x-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy. The high resolution x-ray diffraction spectra exhibit a pattern of satellite peaks. The in-plane lattice constants of the superlattices indicate the coherent growth of the AlGaN layer onto GaN. The average At composition in the superlattices is determined to be 0.08 by Rutherford backscattering spectroscopy. The average parallel and perpendicular elastic strains for the SLs are determined to be (e(parallel to)) = +0.25% and (e(perpendicular to)) = -0.17%. (c) 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Thickness measurement of GaN epilayer using high resolution X-ray diffraction technique

In this paper we propose a new method for measuring the thickness of the GaN epilayer, by using the ratio of the integrated intensity of the GaN epilayer X-ray diffraction peaks to that of the sapphire substrate ones. This ratio shows a linear dependence on the GaN epilayer thickness up to 2 mum. The new method is more accurate and convenient than those of using the relationship between the integrated intensity of GaN epilayer diffraction peaks and the GaN thickness. Besides, it can eliminate the absorption effect of the GaN epilayer.

X-ray diffraction analysis on gallium-indium interdiffusion in quantum dot superlattices

Thermal-induced interdiffusion in InAs/GaAs quantum dot superlattices is studied by high-resolution x-ray diffraction rocking curve and photoluminescence techniques. With increasing annealing temperatures, up to 300 meV a blueshift of the emission peak position and down to 16.6 meV a narrowing of the line width are found in the photoluminescence spectra, and respective intensity of the higher-order satellite peaks to lower-order ones in the x-ray rocking curves decreases. Dynamical theory is employed to simulate the measured x-ray diffraction data. Excellent agreement between the experimental curves and the simulations is achieved when the composition, thickness and stress variations caused by interdiffusion are taken into account. It is found that the significant In-Ga intermixing occurs even in the as-grown InAs/GaAs quantum dots. The estimated diffusion coefficient is 1.8 x 10(-17) cm(2) (.) s(-1) at 650 degreesC, 3.2 x 10(-17) cm(2 .) s(-1) at 750 degreesC, and 1.2 x 10(-14) cm(2 .) s(-1) at 850 degreesC.

X-ray diffraction and optical characterization of interdiffusion in self-assembled InAs/GaAs quantum-dot superlattices

We report on the characterization of thermally induced interdiffusion in InAs/GaAs quantum-dot superlattices with high-resolution x-ray diffraction and photoluminescence techniques. The dynamical theory is employed to simulate the measured x-ray diffraction rocking curves of the InAs/GaAs quantum-dot superlattices annealed at different temperatures. Excellent agreement between the experimental curves and the simulations is achieved when the composition, thickness, and stress variations caused by interdiffusion are taken in account. It is found that the significant In-Ga intermixing occurs even in the as-grown InAs/GaAs quantum dots. The diffusion coefficients at different temperatures are estimated. (C) 2000 American Institute of Physics. [S0003-6951(00)02440-2].

Investigation of periodicity fluctuations in strained (GaNAs)(1)(GaAs)(m) superlattices by the kinematical simulation of x-ray diffraction

Periodicity fluctuations of layer thickness and composition in a superlattice not only decrease the intensity, they also broaden the width of the satellite peaks in the x-ray diffraction pattern. In this letter, we develop a method that is dependent on the width of satellite peaks to assess periodicity fluctuations of a superlattice quickly. A linear relation of the magnitude of fluctuations, peak width and peak order has been derived from x-ray diffraction kinematical theory. By means of this method, periodicity fluctuations in strained (GaNAs)(1)(GaAs)(m) superlattices grown on GaAs substrates by molecular beam epitaxy have been studied. Distinct satellite peaks indicate that the superlattices are of high quality. The N composition of 0.25 and its fluctuation of 20% in a strained GaNxAs1-x monolayer are obtained from simulations of the measured diffraction pattern. The x-ray simulations and in situ observation results of reflection high-energy electron diffraction are in good agreement. (C) 1999 American Institute of Physics. [S0003-6951(99)00828-1].