InGaN epilayer characterization by microfocused x-ray reciprocal space mapping

abstract

We report the use of microfocused three-dimensional x-ray reciprocal space mapping to study InGaN epilayers with average InN content similar to 20%-22%. Analysis of the full volume of reciprocal space, while probing samples on the microscale with a focused x-ray beam, allowed us to gain valuable information about the nanostructure of InN-rich InGaN epilayers. It is found that "seed" InGaN mosaic nanocrystallites are twisted with respect to the ensemble average and strain-free. The initial stages of InGaN-on-GaN epitaxial growth, therefore, conform to the Volmer-Weber growth mechanism with "seeds" nucleated on strain fields generated by the a-type edge dislocations. (C) 2011 American Institute of Physics. [doi: 10.1063/1.3658619]

keywords

GAN; DIFFRACTION; HETEROSTRUCTURE; DIFFRACTOMETRY

subject category

Physics

authors

Kachkanov, V; Dolbnya, IP; O'Donnell, KP; Martin, RW; Edwards, PR; Pereira, S

our authors

acknowledgements

The authors are grateful to Wim van der Stricht for providing the samples used in this study. Dr. K. J. Sawhney is acknowleged for his help during experiments. S. Pereira acknowledges funding from FCT (Portugal) through project Ref. PTDC/CTM/101453/2008. Diamond Light Source is acknowledged for providing beamtime.

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