Substitutional synthesis of sub-nanometer InGaN/GaN quantum wells with high indium content
Substitutional synthesis of sub-nanometer InGaN/GaN quantum wells with high indium content
Vasileiadis, I. G.; Lymperakis, L.; Adikimenakis, A.; Gkotinakos, A.; Devulapalli, V.; Liebscher, C. H.; Androulidaki, M.; Hübner, R.; Karakostas, T.; Georgakilas, A.; Komninou, P.; Dimakis, E.; Dimitrakopulos, G. P.
Abstract
InGaN/GaN quantum wells (QWs) with sub-nanometer thickness can be employed in short-period superlattices for bandgap engineering of efficient optoelectronic devices, as well as for exploiting topological insulator behavior in III-nitride semiconductors. However, it had been argued that the highest indium content in such ultra-thin QWs is kinetically limited to a maximum of 33%, narrowing down the potential range of applications. Here, it is demonstrated that quasi two-dimensional (quasi-2D) QWs with thickness of one atomic monolayer can be deposited with indium contents far exceeding this limit, under certain growth conditions. Multi-QW heterostructures were grown by plasma-assisted molecular beam epitaxy, and their composition and strain were determined with monolayer-scale spatial resolution using quantitative scanning transmission electron microscopy in combination with atomistic calculations. Key findings such as the self-limited QW thickness and the non-monotonic dependence of the QW composition on the growth temperature under metal-rich growth conditions suggest the existence of a substitutional synthesis mechanism, involving the exchange between indium and gallium atoms at surface sites. The highest indium content in this work approached 50%, in agreement with photoluminescence measurements, surpassing by far the previously regarded compositional limit. The proposed synthesis mechanism can guide growth efforts towards binary InN/GaN quasi-2D QWs.
Involved research facilities
- Ion Beam Center DOI: 10.17815/jlsrf-3-159
Related publications
- DOI: 10.17815/jlsrf-3-159 is cited by this (Id 33316) publication
-
Scientific Reports 11(2021), 20606
DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-99989-0
Cited 9 times in Scopus
Permalink: https://www.hzdr.de/publications/Publ-33316