Understanding the effects of Si (111) nitridation on the spontaneous growth and properties of GaN nanowires

Eftychis, S.; Kruse, J.; Koukoula, T.; Kehagias, Th.; Komninou, Ph.; Adikimenakis, A.; Tsagaraki, K.; Androulidaki, M.; Tzanétakis, P.; Iliopoulos, E.; Georgakilas, A.

doi:10.1016/j.jcrysgro.2016.02.028

Cited by 20 publications

(17 citation statements)

References 32 publications

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“…This procedure was adopted to avoid the formation of an amorphous SiN x layer at the nitride/silicon interface. Such an amorphous layer has been reported in transmission electron microscopy (TEM) studies of AlN films grown on Si(111) by metal‐organic vapor phase epitaxy, of PAMBE GaN films and nanowires on Si, and also for PAMBE deposited InN nanowires on Si . Interestingly, this previous study also reported an absence of amorphous SiN x at the interface between a PAMBE AlN layer and Si(111) .…”

Section: Introductionsupporting

confidence: 59%

Eutectic Formation, V/III Ratio, and Controlled Polarity Inversion in Nitrides on Silicon

Roshko

Brubaker

Blanchard

et al. 2019

Physica Status Solidi (b)

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The crystallographic polarity of AlN grown on Si(111) by plasma‐assisted molecular beam epitaxy is intentionally inverted from N‐polar to Al‐polar at a planar boundary. The position of the inversion boundary is controlled by a two‐step growth process that abruptly changes from Al‐rich to N‐rich growth conditions. The polarity inversion is induced by the presence of Si, which is incorporated from an Al–Si eutectic layer that forms during the initial stages of AlN growth and floats on the AlN surface under Al‐rich growth conditions. When the growth conditions change to N‐rich, the Al and Si in the eutectic react with the additional N‐flux and are incorporated into the solid AlN film. Relatively low levels of Al–Si eutectic formation combined with lateral variations in the Si incorporation lead to nonuniformity in the polarity inversion and formation of surprisingly narrow, vertical inversion domains. The results suggest that intentional incorporation of uniform layers of Si may provide a method for producing polarity engineered nitride structures.

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Section: Introductionsupporting

confidence: 59%

Eutectic Formation, V/III Ratio, and Controlled Polarity Inversion in Nitrides on Silicon

Roshko

Brubaker

Blanchard

et al. 2019

Physica Status Solidi (b)

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“…The second RC element (R 2 Q 2 ) described the GaN/silicon interface which hinders electrons transfer due to the presence of the large bandgap insulating SiN x interfacial layer, Fig. 5(b) [17,18]. Finally, there is a series resistance (R sol,sub ), which describes the solution and substrate cumulative resistance.…”

Section: Tem Immentioning

confidence: 99%

“…To achieve high crystalline quality as well as economic production, InGaN NWs, previously employed for solar hydrogen generation, were epitaxially grown on silicon (Si) substrates [11,15,16]. Unfortunately, besides having a comparatively low electrical conductivity, growth of InGaN NWs on Si leads to the formation of an amorphous insulating silicon nitride (SiNx) interfacial layer, during the nitrogen rich nucleation phase [17,18]. These issues highly impede transport of excess charge carriers from the NWs to the counter electrode and thus reduce the device performance.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Flexible InGaN nanowire membranes for enhanced solar water splitting

ElAfandy¹,

ElKabbash²,

Min³

et al. 2018

Opt. Express

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III-Nitride nanowires (NWs) have recently emerged as potential photoelectrodes for efficient solar hydrogen generation. While InGaN NWs epitaxy over silicon is required for high crystalline quality and economic production, it leads to the formation of the notorious silicon nitride insulating interface as well as low electrical conductivity which both impede excess charge carrier dynamics and overall device performance. We tackle this issue by developing, for the first time, a substrate-free InGaN NWs membrane photoanodes, through liftoff and transfer techniques, where excess charge carriers are efficiently extracted from the InGaN NWs through a proper ohmic contact formed with a high electrical conductivity metal stack membrane. As a result, compared to conventional InGaN NWs on silicon, the fabricated free-standing flexible membranes showed a 10-fold increase in the generated photocurrent as well as a 0.8 V cathodic shift in the onset potential. Through electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, accompanied with TEM-based analysis, we further demonstrated the detailed enhancement within excess charge carrier dynamics of the photoanode membranes. This novel configuration in photoelectrodes demonstrates a novel pathway for enhancing the performance of III-nitrides photoelectrodes to accelerate their commercialization for solar water splitting.

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“…Y. Wang et al reported that Au and Ni, which are typically used as catalytic metals for VLS growth of GaN NWs, introduced deep-level traps in the semiconductor band gap, limiting the performances of optoelectronic devices [14]. To reduce the chemical contamination caused by the metallic catalysts, catalyst-free or self-catalyst methods have been used for the formation of GaN NWs on Si using VLS or Volmer-Weber modes [15][16][17]. However, it is still difficult to form Si-based GaN NWs with high crystal quality because of the large difference in material parameters between GaN and Si, including lattice constants and thermal expansion coefficients.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…However, it is still difficult to form Si-based GaN NWs with high crystal quality because of the large difference in material parameters between GaN and Si, including lattice constants and thermal expansion coefficients. That is, catalyst-free GaN NWs on Si substrates showed various shapes and had many structural defects [15,17]. J. Ristić et al reported the spontaneous nucleation and growth mechanisms of GaN nano-columns on Si(111) substrates, which may also apply to form III-nitride nanostructures [18].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Structural and Optical Properties of GaN Nanowires Formed on Si(111)

Han

Choi

Song

et al. 2018

Appl. Sci. Converg. Technol.

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We discuss the structural and optical characteristics of GaN nanowires (NWs) grown on Si(111) substrates by a plasmaassisted molecular-beam epitaxy. The GaN NWs with high crystal quality were formed by adopting a new growth approach, so called Ga pre-deposition (GaPD) method. In the GaPD, only Ga was supplied without nitrogen flux on a SiN/Si surface, resulting in the formation of Ga droplets. The Ga droplets were used as initial nucleation sites for the growth of GaN NWs. The GaN NWs with the average heights of 60.10 to 214.62 nm obtained by increasing growth time. The hexagonal-shaped top surfaces and facets were observed from the field-emission electron microscope images of GaN NWs, indicating that the NWs have the wurtzite (WZ) crystal structure. Strong peaks of GaN (0002) corresponding to WZ structures were also observed from double crystal x-ray diffraction rocking curves of the NW samples. At room temperature, free-exciton emissions were observed from GaN NWs with narrow linewidth broadenings, indicating to the formation of high-quality NWs.

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Understanding the effects of Si (111) nitridation on the spontaneous growth and properties of GaN nanowires

Cited by 20 publications

References 32 publications

Eutectic Formation, V/III Ratio, and Controlled Polarity Inversion in Nitrides on Silicon

Eutectic Formation, V/III Ratio, and Controlled Polarity Inversion in Nitrides on Silicon

Flexible InGaN nanowire membranes for enhanced solar water splitting

Structural and Optical Properties of GaN Nanowires Formed on Si(111)

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