Inversion Domain Boundaries and Oxygen Accommodation in Aluminum Nitride

1989 ◽  
Vol 167 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. A. Youngman ◽  
J. H. Harris ◽  
P. A. Labun ◽  
R. J. Graham ◽  
J. K. Weiss

AbstractAluminum nitride is known to have a large affinity for oxygen as an impurity. At high levels (>∼4 wt/o) the oxygen is incorporated in the form of planar stacking faults where “pure” 2H AIN is regularly interspersed with a layer of oxygen at the faults. At oxygen levels lower than ∼ 4 wt/o the structure shows an expanded c-axis. The present authors have not observed this effect, rather a random distribution of stacking faults is observed along with another, more prevalent, extended defect identified as an inversion domain boundary (IDB). The IDBs are significantly aplanar (indicating a low interface energy), and often have precipitates and other, faceted defects associated with them. The role of these defects in oxygen accommodation in AIN has been investigated both structurally and chemically by electron optical methods (SEM, TEM, STEM, HREM, CBED, EDS, EELS, and CL-TEM). The structural nature of the boundaries, in the absence of oxygen, requires Al-Al or N-N bonding to occur with some frequency across the boundary. Such bonding is unlikely due to the excess energy required. Chemical analysis (EELS) and luminescence studies (CL-TEM) reveal that oxygen is often associated with the boundaries and may mediate the bonding at the boundary. A model is proposed for the IDB which includes structural aspects combined with considerations of stoichiometry in an effort to understand the origin and energetics of this defect.

1994 ◽  
Vol 357 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Bruley ◽  
A.D. Westwood ◽  
R. A. Youngman ◽  
J.-C. Zhao ◽  
M.R. Notis

AbstractSpatially resolved electron energy loss spectroscopy analysis has been conducted on planar inversion domain boundaries in aluminum nitride. The defects were found to contain 1.5 monolayers of oxygen, in agreement with the most recent structural model of Westwood. From variations in near-edge structure, the local atomic environments of both oxygen and aluminum are compared with α-A1203, γ-A1203 and γ-AION standards. Based upon this study the stnrcture of the inversion domain boundary is found to resemble that of the cubic γ-AION spinel, and eliminates from consideration those structural models based upon ai-Al203. Furthermore, quantification of the shape resonances provided Al-O bond-length data from the inversion domain boundary interface. These distances closely agree with the Youngman Model that has recently been further refined by Westwood et al.


1995 ◽  
Vol 10 (10) ◽  
pp. 2573-2585 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alistair D. Westwoord ◽  
Robert A. Youngman ◽  
Martha R. McCartney ◽  
Alasiair N. Cormack ◽  
Michael R. Notis

This paper extends the concepts that were developed to explain the structural rearrangement of the wurtzite AlN lattice due to incorporation of small amounts of oxygen, and to directly use them to assist in understanding the polytypoid structures. Conventional and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, specific electron diffraction experiments, and atomistic computer simulations have been used to investigate the structural nature of the polytypoids. The experimental observations provide compelling evidence that polytypoid structures are not arrays of stacking faults, but are rather arrays of inversion domain boundaries (IDB's). A new model for the polytypoid structure is proposed with the basic repeat structural unit consisting of a planar IDB-P and a corrugated IDB. This model shares common structural elements with the model proposed by Thompson, even though in his model the polytypoids were described as consisting of stacking faults. Small additions (≃ 1000 ppm) of silicon were observed to have a dramatic effect on the polytypoid structure. First, it appears that the addition of Si causes the creation of a new variant of the planar IDB (termed IDB-P'), different from the IDB-P defect observed in the AlN-Al2O3 polytypoids; second, the addition of Si influences the structure of the corrugated IDB, such that it appears to become planar.


2000 ◽  
Vol 639 ◽  
Author(s):  
Philomela Komninou ◽  
Joseph Kioseoglou ◽  
Eirini Sarigiannidou ◽  
George P. Dimitrakopulos ◽  
Thomas Kehagias ◽  
...  

ABSTRACTThe interaction of growth intrinsic stacking faults with inversion domain boundaries in GaN epitaxial layers is studied by high resolution electron microscopy. It is observed that stacking faults may mediate a structural transformation of inversion domain boundaries, from the low energy types, known as IDB boundaries, to the high energy ones, known as Holt-type boundaries. Such interactions may be attributed to the different growth rates of adjacent domains of inverse polarity.


2004 ◽  
Vol 70 (11) ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Kioseoglou ◽  
G. P. Dimitrakopulos ◽  
Ph. Komninou ◽  
H. M. Polatoglou ◽  
A. Serra ◽  
...  

2011 ◽  
Vol 1324 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mei-Chun Liu ◽  
Yuh-Jen Cheng ◽  
Jet-Rung Chang ◽  
Chun-Yen Chang

ABSTRACTWe report the fabrication of GaN lateral polarity inversion heterostructure with self assembled crystalline inversion domain boundaries (IDBs). The sample was fabricated by two step molecular-beam epitaxy (MBE) with microlithography patterning in between to define IDBs. Despite the use of circular pattern, hexagonal crystalline IDBs were self assembled from the circular pattern during the second MBE growth. Both cathodoluminescent (CL) and photoluminescent (PL) measurements show a significant enhanced emission at IDBs and in particular at hexagonal corners. The ability to fabricate self assembled crystalline IDBs and its enhanced emission property can be useful in optoelectronic applications.


1993 ◽  
Vol 319 ◽  
Author(s):  
R.A. Youngman

AbstractPrevious investigations into the nature of polytypoid structures in the A1N-A12O3 and A1NSiO2 systems have concluded that these structures are comprised of ordered stacking faults which accommodate oxygen (and silicon) in the basic wurtzite (2H) AIN structure. The polytypoids are distinct chemical phases intimately related to the pure 2H AIN. More recent work in low oxygen content (<6 at.%) A1N has elucidated the evolution of oxygen-related point defects, and transformation of these defects into extended structures. These studies have shown that all oxygenrelated extended defects in the A1N-A12O3 system are inversion domain boundaries (IDBs).We present here extensions of the concepts developed from low oxygen content studies which lead to direct application in understanding the polytypoid structures. High resolution electron microscopy (HREM), specific electron diffraction experiments, and structural models are utilized to prove that the polytypoid structures are not based on stacking faults, but, in fact are based on IDBs.


2009 ◽  
Vol 24 (10) ◽  
pp. 3032-3037 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kyu Hyung Lee ◽  
Jeong Yong Lee ◽  
Y.H. Kwon ◽  
Tae Won Kang ◽  
J.H. You ◽  
...  

Scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy images and selected area electron diffraction pattern showed that the one-dimensional GaN nanorods with [0001]-oriented single-crystalline wurzite structures were formed on Si (111) substrates by using hydride vapor-phase epitaxy without a catalyst. Although some stacking faults and inversion domain boundaries existed in the GaN nanorods, few other defects such as threading dislocations were observed. The formation of the facet plane in the N-polar region of the GaN nanorod containing an inversion domain boundary originated from the slow growth rate, followed by the lateral adatom diffusion from the Ga-polar region to reduce the length difference.


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