Unveiling the morphology of buried In(Ga)As nanostructures by selective wet chemical etching: From quantum dots to quantum rings

The three-dimensional morphology of In(Ga)As nanostructures embedded in a GaAs matrix is investigated by combining atomic force microscopy and removal of the GaAs cap layer by selective wet etching. This method is used to investigate how the morphology of In(Ga)As quantum dots changes upon GaAs capping and subsequent in situ etching with AsBr3. A wave function calculation based on the experimentally determined morphologies suggests that quantum dots transform into quantum rings during in situ etching. (c) 2007 American Institute of Physics.

Evolution of InAs/GaAs(001) islands during the two- to three-dimensional growth mode transition in molecular-beam epitaxy

A detailed observation was made using atomic force microscopy on the two- to three-dimensional (2D-3D) growth mode transition in the molecular-beam epitaxy of InAs/GaAs(001). The evolution of the 3D InAs islands during the 2D-3D mode transition was divided into two successive phases. The first phase may be explained in terms of a critical phenomenon of the second-order phase transition.

Growth of GaSb layers on GaAs (001) substrate by molecular beam epitaxy

GaSb 1 mu m-thick layers were grown by molecular beam epitaxy on GaAs (001). The effects of the growth conditions on the crystalline quality, surface morphology, electrical properties and optical properties were studied by double crystalline x-ray diffraction, atomic force microscopy, Hall measurement and photoluminescence spectroscopy, respectively. It was found that the surface roughness and hole mobility are highly dependent on the antimony-to-gallium flux ratios and growth temperatures. The crystalline quality, electrical properties and optical properties of GaSb layers were also studied as functions of growth rate, and it was found that a suitably low growth rate is beneficial for the crystalline quality and electrical and optical properties. Better crystal quality GaSb layers with a minimum root mean square surface roughness of 0.1 nm and good optical properties were obtained at a growth rate of 0.25 mu m h(-1).

MOCVD-grown high-mobility Al0.3Ga0.7N/AlN/GaN HEMT structure on sapphire substrate

High-mobility Al0.3Ga0.7N/AlN/GaN high electron mobility transistors (HEMT) structure has been grown by metalorganic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) on sapphire substrate. Electron mobility of 2185 cm(2)/V s at room temperature and 15,400 cm(2)/V s at 80 K with 2DEG density of 1.1 X 10(13) cm(-2) are achieved. The corresponding sheet resistance of the HEMT wafer is 258.7 Omega/sq. The AlN interfacial layer between the GaN buffer and the AlGaN barrier layer reduces the alloy disorder scattering. X-ray diffraction (XRD), atomic force microscopy (AFM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) measurements have been conducted, and confirmed that the wafer has a high crystal quality. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Effect of oxidation on the optical and surface properties of AlGaN

The chemical properties of AlxGa1-xN surfaces exposed to air for different time periods are investigated by atomic force microscopy (AFM), photoluminescence (PL) measurement and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). PL and AFM results show that AlxGa1-xN samples exhibit different surface characteristics for different air-exposure times and Al contents. The XPS spectra of the Al 2p and Ga 2p core levels indicate that the peaks shifted slightly, from an Al-N to an Al-O bond and from a Ga-N to a Ga-O bond. All of these results show that the epilayer surface contains a large amount of Ga and Al oxides. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Evolution of mosaic structure in InN grown by metalorganic chemical vapor deposition

Mosaic structure in InN layers grown by metalorganic chemical vapor deposition at various temperatures has been investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD). With a combination of Williamson-Hall measurement and fitting of twist angles, it was found that variation of growth temperature from 450 to 550 degrees C leads to the variation of the lateral coherence length, vertical coherence length, tilt and twist of mosaic blocks in InN films in a, respectively, monotonic way. In particular, mosaic tilt increases whereas mosaic twist decreases with elevating temperature. Atomic force microscopy shows the morphological difference of the InN nucleation layers grown at 450 and 550 degrees C. Different coalescence thickness and temperature-dependent in-plane rotation of InN nuclei are considered to account for the XRD results. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

InN nanoflowers grown by metal organic chemical vapor deposition

Hexangular indium nitride nanoflower pattern is observed from scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy. The sample is grown on c-plane (0001) sapphire by metal organic chemical vapor deposition with intentional introduction of hydrogen gas. With the aid of hydrogen, a stable existence of metallic indium is achieved. This will induce the growth of InN nanoflowers via self-catalysis vapor-liquid-solid (VLS) process. It is found that the VLS process is modulated by the interface kinetics and thermodynamics among the sapphire substrate, indium, and InN, which leads to the special morphology of the authors' InN nanoflower pattern. (c) 2006 American Institute of Physics.

Preparation and AFM characterization of self-ordered porous alumina films on semi-insulated gaas substrate

Self-ordered porous alumina films on a semi-insulated GaAs substrate were prepared in oxalic acid aqueous solutions by three-step anodization. The I-t curve of anodization process was recorded to observe time effects of anodization. Atomic force microscopy was used to investigate structure and morphology of alumina films. It was revealed that the case of oxalic acid resulted in a self-ordered porous structure, with the pore diameters of 60-70 nm, the pore density of the order of about 10(10) pore cm(-2), and interpore distances of 95-100nm. At the same time the pore size and shape change with the pore widening time. Field-enhanced dissolution model and theory of deformation relaxation combined were brought forward to be the cause of self-ordered pore structure according to I-t curve of anodization and structure characteristics of porous alumina films. (c) 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Influence of dislocation stress field on distribution of quantum dots

InAs quantum dots (QDs) were grown on In0.15Ga0.85As strained layers by molecular beam epitaxy on GaAs (0 0 1) substrates. Atomic force microscopy and transmission electron microscopy study have indicated that In0.15Ga0.85As ridges and InAs QDs formed at the inclined upside of interface misfit dislocations (MDs). By testifying the MDs are mixed 60 degrees dislocations and calculating the surface stress over them when they are 12-180 nm below the surface, we found the QDs prefer nucleating on the side with tensile stress of the MDs and this explained why the ordering of QDs is weak when the InGaAs layer is relatively thick. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Investigation of Mn-doped Si films prepared by magnetron cosputtering

Mn-doped Si films were prepared on Si(001) substrates by magnetron cosputtering and post-annealing process. The structural, morphological and magnetic properties of the films have been investigated. X-ray diffraction results show that the as-prepared film is amorphous. By annealing at 800 degrees C, however, the film is crystallized. There is no secondary phase found except Si in the two films. Chemical mapping shows that no segregation of the Mn atoms appears in the annealed film. Atomic force microscopy images of the films indicate that the annealed film has a granular feature that covers uniformly the film surface while there is no such kind of characteristic in the as-prepared film. The field dependence of magnetization was measured using an alternating gradient magnetometer, and it has been indicated that the annealed film shows room-temperature ferromagnetism. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

1.55-mu m resonant cavity enhanced photodiode based on MBE grown Ge quantum dots

Self-assembly Ge quantum dots (QD) on Si and Si/Ge mutli-quantum-wells (MQW) are grown by MBE. The island size and island density was investigated by atomics force microscopy. Ten-layer and twenty-layer MQW were selected for photodiode device fabrication. In photoluminescence (PL), a broad peak around 1.55-mu m wavelength was observed with higher peak intensity for the 10-layer MQW which had less defects than the 20-layer sample. Resonant cavity enhanced (RCE) photodiodes were fabricated by bonding on a SOI wafer. Selected responsivity at 1.55 mu m was successfully demonstrated. (c) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Growth and characterization of semi-insulating GaN films grown by MOCVD

High resistivity unintentionally doped GaN films were grown on (0001) sapphire substrates by metalorganic chemical vapor deposition. The surface morphology of the layer was measured by both atomic force microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. The results show that the films have mirror-like surface morphology with root mean square of 0.3 nm. The full width at half maximum of double crystal X-ray diffraction rocking curve for (0002) GaN is about 5.22 arc-min, indicative of high crystal quality. The resistivity of the GaN epilayers at room temperature and at 250 degrees C was measured to be approximate 10(9) and 10(6) Omega(.)cm respectively, by variable temperature Hall measurement. Deep level traps in the GaN epilayers were investigated by thermally stimulated current and resistivity measurements.

Quantum trajectory analysis for electrical detection of single-electron spin resonance

A Monte Carlo simulation on the basis of quantum trajectory approach is carried out for the measurement dynamics of a single-electron spin resonance. The measured electron, which is confined in either a quantum dot or a defect trap, is tunnel coupled to a side reservoir and continuously monitored by a mesoscopic detector. The simulation not only recovers the observed telegraphic signal of detector current, but also predicts unique features in the output power spectrum which are associated with electron dynamics in different regimes.

Investigation of a chemically treated InP(100) surface during hydrophilic wafer bonding process

Surface micro-roughness, surface chemical properties, and surface wettability are three important aspects of wafer surfaces during a wafer cleaning process, which determine the bonding quality of ordinary direct wafer bonding. In this study, InP wafers are divided into four groups and treated by different chemical processes. Subsequently, the characteristics of the treated InP surfaces are carefully studied by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), atomic force microscopy (AFM), and contact angle measurements. The optimal wafer treatment method for wafer bonding is determined by comparing the results of the processes as a whole. This optimization is later evaluated by a scanning electronic microscope (SEM), and the ridge waveguide 1.55 mu m Si-based InP/InGaAsP multi-quantum-well laser chips are also fabricated. (c) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Evolution of wetting layer of InAs/GaAs quantum dots studied by reflectance difference spectroscopy

For the InAs/GaAs quantum-dot system, the evolution of the wetting layer (WL) with the InAs deposition thickness has been studied by reflectance difference spectroscopy (RDS) in combination with atomic force microscopy and photoluminescence. One transition related to the light hole in the WL has been observed clearly in RDS, from which its transition energy and in-plane optical anisotropy (OA) are determined. The evolution of WL with the InAs dot formation and ripening has been discussed. In addition, the remarkable changes in OA at the onsets of the dot formation and ripening have been observed, implying the mode transitions of atom transport between the WL and the dots.