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Self‐regulating mechanism of InN growth on GaN(0001) by molecular beam epitaxy; from nanostructures to films
Author(s) -
Dimakis E.,
Iliopoulos E.,
Tsagaraki K.,
Georgakilas A.
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
physica status solidi (a)
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.532
H-Index - 104
eISSN - 1862-6319
pISSN - 1862-6300
DOI - 10.1002/pssa.200565404
Subject(s) - molecular beam epitaxy , materials science , substrate (aquarium) , growth rate , context (archaeology) , chemical physics , surface diffusion , epitaxy , nanotechnology , condensed matter physics , optoelectronics , chemistry , layer (electronics) , physics , geometry , adsorption , paleontology , oceanography , mathematics , geology , biology
The surface kinetics of InN growth on GaN(0001) by plasma assisted molecular beam epitaxy was investigated. The surface coverage of the GaN(0001) surface by InN islands and the corresponding islands' growth rate along the [0001] direction, were studied as a function of substrate temperature. Both quantities were found to behave non‐monotonically with substrate temperature due to the interplay between In‐adatoms' surface migration and InN decomposition rate. In the range of temperatures were In‐adatoms' mobility is sufficient, a self‐regulating mechanism of InN islands' shape takes place. This mechanism insures stoichiometric ratio of In and N adatoms on the top (0001) surface of the islands. These findings are summarized in a physical model that describes the growth of InN on GaN(0001) surfaces. In the context of the model, four distinct growth regimes are defined as a function of substrate temperature for a given In/N flux ratio. The exploitation of the self‐regulating mechanism led to successful growth of InN films with good structural, morphological and electrical properties. (© 2006 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)