In situ revelation of a zinc-blende InN wetting layer during Stranski-Krastanov growth on GaN(0001) by molecular-beam epitaxy

Y. G. Cao, S. H. Xu, W. Lü, X. Q. Dai, Y. F. Chan, N. Wang, Y. Liu, H. S. Wu, M. H. Xie, and S. Y. Tong
Phys. Rev. B 71, 155322 – Published 27 April 2005

Abstract

Indium nitride (InN) exists in two different structural phases, the equilibrium wurtzite (w) and the metastable zinc-blende (zb) phases. It is of scientific interest and practical relevance to examine the crystal structure of the epifilms during growth. In this paper, we use Patterson function inversion of low-energy electron diffraction IV curves to reveal the preferential formation of zinc-blende InN wetting layer during the Stranski-Krastanov growth on GaN(0001). For three-dimensional islands nucleated afterwards on top of the wetting layer and for thick InN films, the equilibrium wurtzite structure is observed instead. This in situ revelation of the InN lattice structure is confirmed by ex situ transmission electron microscopy studies. Finally, the formation of zb-InN layer on w-GaN is explained in terms of the strain in the system.

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  • Received 7 December 2004

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.71.155322

©2005 American Physical Society

Authors & Affiliations

Y. G. Cao1, S. H. Xu1, W. Lü2, X. Q. Dai1, Y. F. Chan3, N. Wang3, Y. Liu1, H. S. Wu1, M. H. Xie1,*, and S. Y. Tong4

  • 1Physics Department and the Joint Laboratory on New Materials, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam Road, Hong Kong, China
  • 2Institute of Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100080, China and College of Materials Science and Engineering, Jilin University, Changchun 130023, China
  • 3Department of Physics, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China
  • 4Department of Physics and Materials Science, City University of Hong Kong, Tat Chee Avenue, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China

  • *Corresponding author. Electronic address: mhxie@hkusua.hku.hk

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Vol. 71, Iss. 15 — 15 April 2005

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