Comparison of the Material Quality of AlxIn1−xN (x—0–0.50) Films Deposited on Si(100) and Si(111) at Low Temperature by Reactive RF Sputtering

AlxIn1-xN ternary semiconductors have attracted much interest for application in photovoltaic devices. Here, we compare the material quality of AlxIn1-xN layers deposited on Si with different crystallographic orientations, (100) and (111), via radio-frequency (RF) sputtering. To modulate their Al co...

Descripción completa

Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores: Sun Hu, Michael|||0000-0001-7105-4784, Blasco Chicano, Rodrigo, Nwodo, J., Mata, María de la, Molina, Sergio I., Ajay, Akhil, Monroy, Eva, Valdueza Felip, Sirona|||0000-0003-1817-5354, Naranjo Vega, Fernando Bernabé|||0000-0002-2119-6749
Tipo de recurso: artículo
Fecha de publicación:2022
País:España
Institución:Universidad de Alcalá (UAH)
Repositorio:e_Buah Biblioteca Digital Universidad de Alcalá
Idioma:inglés
OAI Identifier:oai:ebuah.uah.es:10017/63269
Acceso en línea:http://hdl.handle.net/10017/63269
https://dx.doi.org/10.3390/ma15207373
Access Level:acceso abierto
Palabra clave:AlInN
Si(100)
Si(111)
Radio-frequency sputtering
Electrónica
Electronics
Descripción
Sumario:AlxIn1-xN ternary semiconductors have attracted much interest for application in photovoltaic devices. Here, we compare the material quality of AlxIn1-xN layers deposited on Si with different crystallographic orientations, (100) and (111), via radio-frequency (RF) sputtering. To modulate their Al content, the Al RF power was varied from 0 to 225 W, whereas the In RF power and deposition temperature were fixed at 30 W and 300 degrees C, respectively. X-ray diffraction measurements reveal a c-axis-oriented wurtzite structure with no phase separation regardless of the Al content (x = 0-0.50), which increases with the Al power supply. The surface morphology of the AlxIn1-xN layers improves with increasing Al content (the root-mean-square roughness decreases from approximate to 12 to 2.5 nm), and it is similar for samples grown on both Si substrates. The amorphous layer (similar to 2.5 nm thick) found at the interface with the substrates explains the weak influence of their orientation on the properties of the AlxIn1-xN films. Simultaneously grown AlxIn1-xN-on-sapphire samples point to a residual n-type carrier concentration in the 10(20)-10(21) cm(-3) range. The optical band gap energy of these layers evolves from 1.75 to 2.56 eV with the increase in the Al. PL measurements of AlxIn1-xN show a blue shift in the peak emission when adding the Al, as expected. We also observe an increase in the FWHM of the main peak and a decrease in the integrated emission with the Al content in room-temperature PL measurements. In general, the material quality of the AlxIn1-xN films on Si is similar for both crystallographic orientations.