Anisotropic crystallographic properties, strain, and their effects on band structure of m-plane GaN on LiAlO2(100)

Abstract

The m-plane GaN films grown on LiAlO 2 ͑100͒ by metal-organic chemical vapor deposition exhibit anisotropic crystallographic properties. The Williamson-Hall plots point out they are due to the different tilts and lateral correlation lengths of mosaic blocks parallel and perpendicular to GaN͓0001͔ in the growth plane. The symmetric and asymmetric reciprocal space maps reveal the strain of m-plane GaN to be biaxial in-plane compress xx = −0.79% and zz = −0.14% with an out-of-plane dilatation yy = 0.38%. This anisotropic strain further separates the energy levels of top valence band at ⌫ point. The energy splitting as 37 meV as well as in-plane polarization anisotropy for transitions are found by the polarized photoluminescence spectra at room temperature. © 2008 American Institute of Physics. ͓DOI: 10.1063/1.2951618͔The wurtzite structure of III-nitrides leads to electrostatic fields along the ͓0001͔ direction due to spontaneous and piezoelectric polarization, when the film is grown on c-oriented substrates. 1 These built-in electric fields along the ͓0001͔ direction separate the electron and hole wave functions in a quantum well ͑QW͒ thereby reducing the recombination probability of electron-hole pairs. Consequently, it results in reduction of quantum efficiency of light-emitting diodes. 2 A way to overcome this deficiency is to grow GaNbased QWs along nonpolar orientations, for example, m plane 3,4 or a plane. 5,6 It has been shown that the electric field can be avoided in such nitride QWs. When ͓1100͔ or ͓1120͔ becomes the growth direction, the c axis of GaN lattice lies down in the growth plane. As a consequence, the C 6v hexagonal symmetry of the c growth plane is reduced to C 2v symmetry of the m growth plane. Firstly, it would show the anisotropic crystallographic characteristics. 7,8 Secondly, the nonpolar GaN films experience strong anisotropic deformation due to different in-plane lattice mismatches and thermalexpansion coefficients between GaN and underlying substrates. In the case of c-plane GaN films, isotropic strain in the c-plane preserves C 6v symmetry in the x-y plane so that no significant in-plane physical anisotropy occurs. The situation is quite different for nonpolar GaN films. Anisotropic in-plane strain components further lift the symmetry in the growth plane, which significantly modify the top three valence band ͑VB͒ states at ⌫ point. 9,10 Both the energy splitting and polarization selection of the transitions between conduction band ͑CB͒ and VB have been observed by absorption, reflectance, and photoreflectance spectroscopy. 11,12 Recently, transmission anisotropy spectroscopy has been utilized to obtain the energy splitting and polarization information of m-plane GaN films. 13 Although the in-plane strain components are important for the modifications in band structure of nonpolar GaN, it is still difficult to experimentally determine the full state of strain. In the case of m plane, GaN films are grown along GaN ͓1100͔ direction. The growth plane is the x-z plane, and the growth direc...

Development of m-plane GaN anisotropic film properties during MOVPE growth on LiAlO2 substrates

“…The growth of high-quality m-plane GaN on LiAlO 2 was already reported using various techniques as molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) [5], hydride vapour phase epitaxy (HVPE) [6] and metal organic vapour phase epitaxy (MOVPE) [7]. However, only few reports contain detailed data on the anisotropic film properties [8]. In this contribution, we present an elaborate investigation on the development of the anisotropic crystal properties during MOVPE of m-plane GaN on LiAlO 2 .…”

Polarization and temperature dependence of photoluminescence of m-plane GaN grown on γ-LiAlO2 (100) substrate

“…As reported, When ⌽ equals 0°or 90°, corresponding to the E parallel ͑E ʈ c͒ or perpendicular ͑E Ќ c͒ to c-axis in the plane, the near band edge emission peaks of m-plane GaN shift from 3.453 to 3.416 eV. 15 They are assigned to the transition T 1 and T 2 with energy splitting of 37 meV at room temperature. In addition, the T 1 ͑T 2 ͒ exhibits x-polarized ͑z-polarized͒ feature.…”

“…[12][13][14] Recently, the authors reported the splitting and anisotropy of emission light polarization of the m-plane GaN on LAO͑100͒ by using PL measurements. 15 In this letter, we investigate the polarization-angle and temperature dependence of the polarized PL transitions of the m-plane GaN film on LAO͑100͒ in order to explore the evolution of splitting valence band under anisotropic strain conditions.The studied sample of a typical 0.92 m thick m-plane GaN with background electron concentration ϳ2 ϫ 10 18 cm −3 ͑named as sample I͒ was grown on LAO͑100͒ by metalorganic chemical vapor deposition. 4 High-resolution x-ray diffraction technique revealed the m-plane GaN epilayer under biaxial compressive strain of xx = −0.79% and zz = −0.14% with an out-of-plane dilatation yy = 0.38%.…”

“…[12][13][14] Recently, the authors reported the splitting and anisotropy of emission light polarization of the m-plane GaN on LAO͑100͒ by using PL measurements. 15 In this letter, we investigate the polarization-angle and temperature dependence of the polarized PL transitions of the m-plane GaN film on LAO͑100͒ in order to explore the evolution of splitting valence band under anisotropic strain conditions.…”

“…4 High-resolution x-ray diffraction technique revealed the m-plane GaN epilayer under biaxial compressive strain of xx = −0.79% and zz = −0.14% with an out-of-plane dilatation yy = 0.38%. 15 An unintentionally doped n-type c-plane GaN with thickness of 2.5 m on ␣-Al 2 O 3 ͑0001͒ substrate ͑named as sample II͒ was used to compare the luminescence properties of m-plane GaN film. While sample II has an out-of-plane strain zz = −0.046% and isotropic in-plane strain xx = yy = 0.086% with x, y, and z being parallel to ͓1120͔, ͓1100͔, and ͓0001͔ directions, respectively.…”