Nanometric inclusions filled with nitrogen, located adjacent to FenN (n = 3 or 4) nanocrystals within (Ga,Fe)N layers, are identified and characterized using scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) and electron energy-loss spectroscopy (EELS). High-resolution STEM images reveal a truncation of the Fe-N nanocrystals at their boundaries with the nitrogen-containing inclusions. A controlled electron beam hole drilling experiment is used to release nitrogen gas from an inclusion in situ in the electron microscope. The density of nitrogen in an individual inclusion is measured to be 1.4 ± 0.3 g/cm3. These observations provide an explanation for the location of surplus nitrogen in the (Ga,Fe)N layers, which is liberated by the nucleation of FenN (n > 1) nanocrystals during growth.
Skip Nav Destination
Article navigation
21 July 2013
Research Article|
July 19 2013
Characterization of Fe-N nanocrystals and nitrogen–containing inclusions in (Ga,Fe)N thin films using transmission electron microscopy
A. Kovács;
A. Kovács
a)
1
Ernst Ruska-Centre for Microscopy and Spectroscopy with Electrons and Peter Grünberg Institute
, Forschungszentrum Jülich, 52425 Jülich, Germany
Search for other works by this author on:
B. Schaffer;
B. Schaffer
2
SuperSTEM, STFC Daresbury Laboratories
, Keckwick Lane, Warrington WA4 4AD, United Kingdom
3
SUPA, School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Glasgow
, Glasgow G12 8QQ, United Kingdom
Search for other works by this author on:
M. S. Moreno;
M. S. Moreno
4
Centro Atómico Bariloche
, 8400 San Carlos de Bariloche, Argentina
Search for other works by this author on:
J. R. Jinschek;
J. R. Jinschek
5
FEI Company
, Achtseweg Noord 5, 5651 GG Eindhoven, The Netherlands
Search for other works by this author on:
A. J. Craven;
A. J. Craven
3
SUPA, School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Glasgow
, Glasgow G12 8QQ, United Kingdom
Search for other works by this author on:
T. Dietl;
T. Dietl
6
Institute of Physics, Polish Academy of Sciences
, al. Lotników 32/46, 02-668 Warszawa, Poland
7
Institute of Theoretical Physics, Faculty of Physics, University of Warsaw
, 00-681 Warszawa, Poland
Search for other works by this author on:
A. Bonanni;
A. Bonanni
8
Institut für Halbleiter-und Festkörperphysik, Johannes Kepler University
, Altenbergerstr. 69, 4040 Linz, Austria
Search for other works by this author on:
R. E. Dunin-Borkowski
R. E. Dunin-Borkowski
1
Ernst Ruska-Centre for Microscopy and Spectroscopy with Electrons and Peter Grünberg Institute
, Forschungszentrum Jülich, 52425 Jülich, Germany
Search for other works by this author on:
a)
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed. Electronic mail: a.kovacs@fz-juelich.de
J. Appl. Phys. 114, 033530 (2013)
Article history
Received:
May 07 2013
Accepted:
July 02 2013
Citation
A. Kovács, B. Schaffer, M. S. Moreno, J. R. Jinschek, A. J. Craven, T. Dietl, A. Bonanni, R. E. Dunin-Borkowski; Characterization of Fe-N nanocrystals and nitrogen–containing inclusions in (Ga,Fe)N thin films using transmission electron microscopy. J. Appl. Phys. 21 July 2013; 114 (3): 033530. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4816049
Download citation file:
Sign in
Don't already have an account? Register
Sign In
You could not be signed in. Please check your credentials and make sure you have an active account and try again.
Pay-Per-View Access
$40.00
Citing articles via
A step-by-step guide to perform x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy
Grzegorz Greczynski, Lars Hultman
Celebrating notable advances in compound semiconductors: A tribute to Dr. Wladyslaw Walukiewicz
Kirstin Alberi, Junqiao Wu, et al.
GaN-based power devices: Physics, reliability, and perspectives
Matteo Meneghini, Carlo De Santi, et al.