Zinc-blende and wurtzite AlxGa1−xN bulk crystals grown by molecular beam epitaxy

• Published in: Journal of crystal growth 2012-07, Vol.350 (1), p.80-84
• Main Authors: Novikov, S.V., Staddon, C.R., Luckert, F., Edwards, P.R., Martin, R.W., Kent, A.J., Foxon, C.T.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: A1. Substrates; A3. Molecular beam epitaxy; B1. Nitrides; B2. Semiconducting III-V materials; Condensed matter: structure, mechanical and thermal properties; Cross-disciplinary physics: materials science; rheology; Exact sciences and technology; Materials science; Methods of crystal growth; physics of crystal growth; Methods of deposition of films and coatings; film growth and epitaxy; Molecular, atomic, ion, and chemical beam epitaxy; Physics; Structure of solids and liquids; crystallography; Structure of specific crystalline solids; Theory and models of crystal growth; physics of crystal growth, crystal morphology and orientation
• ISSN: 0022-0248; 1873-5002
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jcrysgro.2011.12.028

There is a significant difference in the lattice parameters of GaN and AlN and for many device applications AlxGa1−xN substrates would be preferable to either GaN or AlN. We have studied the growth of free-standing zinc-blende and wurtzite AlxGa1−xN bulk crystals by plasma-assisted molecular beam epitaxy (PA-MBE). Thick (∼10μm) zinc-blende and wurtzite AlxGa1−xN films were grown by PA-MBE on 2-in. GaAs (001) and GaAs (111)B substrates respectively and were removed from the GaAs substrate after the growth. We demonstrate that free-standing zinc-blende and wurtzite AlxGa1−xN wafers can be achieved by PA-MBE for a wide range of Al compositions.