Strain relaxation in semipolar InGaN layers grown by plasma assisted molecular beam epitaxy (PAMBE) was investigated with high-resolution X-ray diffraction (XRD) reciprocal space mapping, cathodoluminescence (CL), fluorescent light microscopy (FLM), and atomic force microscopy. We find that XRD detects lattice relaxation much later than its actual onset occurs. Other techniques used in this study allowed to detect local footprints of plastic relaxation before it was evidenced by XRD: at the initial stages of strain relaxation, we observed changes in layer morphology, i.e., formation of short trench line segments on the surface along the ⟨⟩ direction as well as dark lines in CL and FLM. The misfit dislocations formation and glide were observed in two slip systems: initially in basal slip system ⟨ and for larger amount of strain in non-basal, prismatic slip system . Experimentally determined critical thickness for InGaN layers grown by PAMBE on semipolar bulk GaN substrates agrees well with literature data obtained with metalorganic vapor phase epitaxy and follows the Matthews-Blakeslee model prediction. We discuss the impact of substrate structural properties on the strain relaxation onset and mechanisms. We also describe the layer morphology and surface roughness evolution related to the increasing In content and strain relaxation of the semipolar InGaN layers.
Skip Nav Destination
Article navigation
14 May 2016
Research Article|
May 10 2016
Strain relaxation in semipolar InGaN grown by plasma assisted molecular beam epitaxy
M. Sawicka;
M. Sawicka
a)
1Institute of High Pressure Physics,
Polish Academy of Sciences
, Sokolowska 29/37, 01-142 Warsaw, Poland
2
TopGaN Sp. z o.o.
, Sokolowska 29/37, 01-142 Warsaw, Poland
Search for other works by this author on:
M. Kryśko;
M. Kryśko
1Institute of High Pressure Physics,
Polish Academy of Sciences
, Sokolowska 29/37, 01-142 Warsaw, Poland
Search for other works by this author on:
G. Muziol;
G. Muziol
1Institute of High Pressure Physics,
Polish Academy of Sciences
, Sokolowska 29/37, 01-142 Warsaw, Poland
Search for other works by this author on:
H. Turski;
H. Turski
1Institute of High Pressure Physics,
Polish Academy of Sciences
, Sokolowska 29/37, 01-142 Warsaw, Poland
Search for other works by this author on:
M. Siekacz;
M. Siekacz
1Institute of High Pressure Physics,
Polish Academy of Sciences
, Sokolowska 29/37, 01-142 Warsaw, Poland
2
TopGaN Sp. z o.o.
, Sokolowska 29/37, 01-142 Warsaw, Poland
Search for other works by this author on:
P. Wolny;
P. Wolny
3
Paul Drude Institute for Solid State Electronics
, Hausvogteiplatz 5-7, 10117 Berlin, Germany
Search for other works by this author on:
J. Smalc-Koziorowska;
J. Smalc-Koziorowska
1Institute of High Pressure Physics,
Polish Academy of Sciences
, Sokolowska 29/37, 01-142 Warsaw, Poland
2
TopGaN Sp. z o.o.
, Sokolowska 29/37, 01-142 Warsaw, Poland
Search for other works by this author on:
C. Skierbiszewski
C. Skierbiszewski
1Institute of High Pressure Physics,
Polish Academy of Sciences
, Sokolowska 29/37, 01-142 Warsaw, Poland
2
TopGaN Sp. z o.o.
, Sokolowska 29/37, 01-142 Warsaw, Poland
Search for other works by this author on:
a)
Email: sawicka@unipress.waw.pl
J. Appl. Phys. 119, 185701 (2016)
Article history
Received:
February 25 2016
Accepted:
April 27 2016
Citation
M. Sawicka, M. Kryśko, G. Muziol, H. Turski, M. Siekacz, P. Wolny, J. Smalc-Koziorowska, C. Skierbiszewski; Strain relaxation in semipolar InGaN grown by plasma assisted molecular beam epitaxy. J. Appl. Phys. 14 May 2016; 119 (18): 185701. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4948963
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.
Sign in via your Institution
Sign in via your InstitutionPay-Per-View Access
$40.00
Citing articles via
Related Content
Semipolar ( 20 2 ¯ 1 ) GaN laser diodes operating at 388 nm grown by plasma-assisted molecular beam epitaxy
J. Vac. Sci. Technol. B (February 2014)
Indium kinetics during the plasma-assisted molecular beam epitaxy of semipolar ( 11 − 22 ) InGaN layers
Appl. Phys. Lett. (May 2010)
Improved luminescence and thermal stability of semipolar (11-22) InGaN quantum dots
Appl. Phys. Lett. (May 2011)
Ultraviolet laser diodes grown on semipolar ( 20 2 ¯ 1 ) GaN substrates by plasma-assisted molecular beam epitaxy
Appl. Phys. Lett. (June 2013)
Indium and impurity incorporation in InGaN films on polar, nonpolar, and semipolar GaN orientations grown by ammonia molecular beam epitaxy
Journal of Vacuum Science & Technology A (June 2012)