Indium Incorporation in In x Ga1–x N/GaN Nanowire Heterostructures Investigated by Line-of-Sight Quadrupole Mass Spectrometry

We investigate the formation of the ternary alloy In x Ga1–x N in the growth of self-induced nanowires by plasma-assisted molecular beam epitaxy. A series of samples grown at different temperatures were analyzed in situ by line-of-sight quadrupole mass spectrometry, and the predicted composition was...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Crystal growth & design 2012-11, Vol.12 (11), p.5686-5692
Main Authors: Wölz, M, Fernández-Garrido, S, Hauswald, C, Brandt, O, Limbach, F, Geelhaar, L, Riechert, H
Format: Article
Language:English
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Summary:We investigate the formation of the ternary alloy In x Ga1–x N in the growth of self-induced nanowires by plasma-assisted molecular beam epitaxy. A series of samples grown at different temperatures were analyzed in situ by line-of-sight quadrupole mass spectrometry, and the predicted composition was verified by X-ray diffraction on as-grown nanowire ensembles. The In x Ga1–x N composition is determined by the thermally activated loss of In due to InN decomposition and In desorption, similar to the composition of planar layers. The convolution of decomposition, reincorporation, and desorption is described by an apparent activation energy of about 2.5 eV. We show the feasibility of in situ control of the In x Ga1–x N nanowire composition by line-of-sight quadrupole mass spectrometry.
ISSN:1528-7483
1528-7505
DOI:10.1021/cg301181b