Structural characterization of selective area growth GaN nanowires by non-destructive optical and electrical techniques
The growth selectivity and structural quality of GaN nanowires obtained by plasma-assisted molecular beam epitaxy on pre-patterned GaN(0001) templates are investigated by means of non-destructive techniques. Optimum control over the nanowire arrangement and size requires a pitch between the mask apertures below twice the diffusion length of Ga atoms. Lower pitches, however, seem to slightly diminish the structural quality of the material, as revealed by the increase of the Raman peak linewidths. The photoluminescence spectra of the nanowires show a considerable presence of basal plane stacking faults, whose density increases for decreasing nanowire diameter. The capabilities of Kelvin probe…
Strain relaxation, extended defects and doping effects in InxGa1-xN/GaN heterostructures investigated by surface photovoltage
Abstract We have analysed electrical properties of extended defects and interfaces in fully strained and partially relaxed InxGa1-xN/GaN heterostructures by means of Kelvin probe force microscopy and surface photovoltage spectroscopy. The study highlights the role of indium incorporation and Si doping levels on the charge state of extended defects including threading dislocations, V defects and misfit dislocations. Surface potential maps reveal that these defects are associated with a different local work function and thus could remarkably alter electron-hole recombination mechanisms of InxGa1-xN/GaN layers locally. Surface photovoltage spectra clearly demonstrate the role of misfit disloca…
Direct assessment of p–n junctions in single GaN nanowires by Kelvin probe force microscopy
Making use of Kelvin probe force microscopy, in dark and under ultraviolet illumination, we study the characteristics of p-n junctions formed along the axis of self-organized GaN nanowires (NWs). We map the contact potential difference of the single NW p-n junctions to locate the space charge region and directly measure the depletion width and the junction voltage. Simulations indicate a shrinkage of the built-in potential for NWs with small diameter due to surface band bending, in qualitative agreement with the measurements. The photovoltage of the NW/substrate contact is studied by analysing the response of NW segments with p- and n-type doping under illumination. Our results show that th…
Surface properties of AlInGaN/GaN heterostructure
Abstract Surface structural, electronic and electrical properties of the quaternary alloy AlInGaN/GaN heterostructures are investigated. Surface termination, atomic arrangement, electronic and electrical properties of the (0001) surface and (10–11) V-defect facets have been experimentally analyzed using various surface sensitive techniques including spectroscopy and microscopy. Moreover, the effect of sub-band gap (of the barrier layer) illumination on contact potential difference (VCPD) and the role of oxygen chemisorption have been studied.
Assessment of Polarity in GaN Self-Assembled Nanowires by Electrical Force Microscopy
In this work, we demonstrate the capabilities of atomic force microscopies (AFMs) for the nondestructive determination of the polarity of GaN nanowires (NWs). Three complementary AFMs are analyzed here: Kelvin probe force microscopy (KPFM), light-assisted KPFM, and piezo-force microscopy (PFM). These techniques allow us to assess the polarity of individual NWs over an area of tens of μm(2) and provide statistics on the polarity of the ensemble with an accuracy hardly reachable by other methods. The precise quantitative analysis of the tip-sample interaction by multidimensional spectroscopic measurements, combined with advanced data analysis, has allowed the separate characterization of elec…
The influence of AlN buffer over the polarity and the nucleation of self-organized GaN nanowires
We experimentally investigate the influence of AlN buffer growth on the nucleation and the polarity of a self-organized assembly of GaN nanowires (NWs) grown on Si. Two complementary growth mechanisms for AlN buffer deposited on Si are demonstrated. Both emphasize the aggregation of Si on the AlN surface and the growth of large cubic crystallites, namely, AlN pedestals. Further growths of GaN NWs assembly reveal that the GaN 2D layer found at the bottom of the NW assembly is the result of the coalescence of Ga-polar pyramids, whereas AlN pedestals are observed as preferential but not exclusive NW nucleation sites. NWs are N-polar or exhibit inversion domains with a Ga-polar core/N-polar she…