Dielectric Function of Nitride Semiconductors: Recent Experimental Results

• Authors: R. Goldhahn
• Languages of publication: EN

Abstracts

EN

A review on the experimental determination of the dielectric function for hexagonal nitride semiconductors is presented. The peculiarities of nitride samples such as surface roughness and extended interface layers alter in comparison to an ideal film spectroscopic ellipsometry or reflectance spectra in a characteristic manner. It requires the application of multi-layer models for data analysis in order to determine reliable dielectric functions. Results of such an analysis for GaN covering a broad spectral range are given. Below the band gap, both ordinary and extraordinary components of the dielectric function tensor are determined for GaN as well as for AlN. The dielectric functions of MBE-grown InN characterised by a band gap of around 0.75 eV and a sputtered film exhibiting an absorption edge of around 1.9 eV are compared with results of first-principles calculations. Good agreement between theory and experiment is only found for the MBE-grown material providing further evidence that InN is a "narrow" band gap semiconductor. Finally, photocurrent measurements of a GaN Schottky-diode reveal the influence of electric fields on the shape of the excitonic absorption edge. The interpretation is supported by results of dielectric function calculations.

Keywords

EN

78.20.Ci; 78.40.Fy; 68.35.Ct; 71.35.Cc

Discipline

• 68.35.Ct: Interface structure and roughness
• 78.20.Ci: Optical constants (including refractive index, complex dielectric constant, absorption, reflection and transmission coefficients, emissivity)
• 71.35.Cc: Intrinsic properties of excitons; optical absorption spectra
• 78.40.Fy: Semiconductors

• Publisher: Institute of Physics, Polish Academy of Sciences
• Journal: Acta Physica Polonica A
• Year: 2003
• Volume: 104
• Issue: 2
• Pages: 123-147

Dates

published

2003-08

received

2003-05-30

Contributors

author

R. Goldhahn

• Ilmenau Technical University, Institute of Physics, PF 100565, 98684 Ilmenau, Germany

References

• 1. S. Nakamura, G. Fasol, The Blue Laser Diode, 1st ed., Springer-Verlag, Berlin 1988, p. 1.
• 2. N. Biyiki, I. Kimukin, T. Kartaloglu, O. Aytur, E. Ozbay, Appl. Phys. Lett. 82, 2344 (2003).
• 3. L. F. Eastman, V. Tilak, V. Kaper, J. Smart, R. Thompson, B. M. Green, J.R. Shealy, T. Prunty, Phys. Status Solidi A 194, 433 (2002).
• 4. D. J. As, A. Richter, J. Busch, M. Lubbers, J. Mimkes, K. Lischka, Appl. Phys. Lett. 76, 13 (2000).
• 5. Z.-F. Li, W. Lu, H.- J. Ye, Z.-H. Chen, X. -Z. Yuan, H.-F. Dou, S.-C. Shen, G. Li, S.J. Chua, J. Appl. Phys. 86, 2691 (1999).
• 6. A. Kasic, M. Schubert, S. Einfeldt, D. Hommel, T. E. Tiwald, Phys. Rev. B 62, 7365 (2000).
• 7. W. R. L. Lambrecht, B. Segall, J. Rife, W. R. Hunter, D. K. Wickenden, Phys. Rev. B 51, 13516 (1995).
• 8. B. Gil, in: Gallium Nitride (GaN) II, in series Semiconductors and Semimetals, Eds. J. I. Pankove, T. D. Moustakas, Vol. 57, Academic Press, San Diego 1999, p. 209.
• 9. L. X. Benedict, T. Wethkamp, K. Wilmers, C. Cobet, N. Esser, E. L. Shirley, W. Richter, M. Cardona, Solid State Commun. 112, 129 (1999).
• 10. T. L. Tansley, C. P. Foley, J. Appl. Phys. 59, 3241 (1986).
• 11. T. Inushima, V. V. Mamutin, V. A. Vekshin, S.V. Ivanov, T. Sakon, M. Motokawa, S. Ohoya, J. Cryst. Growth 481 (2001).
• 12. R. Goldhahn, S. Shokhovets, V. Cimalla, L. Spiess, G. Ecke, O. Ambacher, J. Furthmuller, F. Bechstedt, H. Lu, W. J. Schaff, Mat. Res. Soc. Symp. Proc. 743, L. 5.9 (2003).
• 13. M. J. Bergmann, H. C. Casey, Jr., J. Appl. Phys. 84, 1196 (1998).
• 14. H. M. Ng, D. Doppaludpudi, E. Iliopoulos, T. D. Moustakas, Appl. Phys. Lett. 74, 1036 (1999).
• 15. S. Shokhovets, R. Goldhahn, G. Gobsch, T. S. Cheng, C.T. Foxon, G. D. Kipshidze, Wo. Richter, J. Appl. Phys. 86, 2602 (1999).
• 16. T. Schmidtling, M. Drago, U. W. Pohl, W. Richter, (2003). J. Cryst. Growth 248, 523
• 17. R. Goldhahn, S. Shokhovets; in: III-Nitride Semiconductors: Optical Properties II, in series Optoelectronic Properties of Semiconductors and Superlattices, Eds. M. O. Manasreh, H. X. Jiang, Vol. 14, Taylor & Francis Books, New York 2002, p. 73.
• 18. A. R. A. Zauner, M. A. C. Devillers, P.R. Hageman, P.K. Larsen, S. Porowski, MRS Internet J. Nitride Semicond. Res. 3, 17 (1998).
• 19. U. Kohler, D. J. As, B. Schottker, T. Frey, K. Lischka, J. Scheiner, S. Shokhovets, R. Goldhahn, J. Appl. Phys. 85, 404 (1999).
• 20. Y. Hiroyama, M. Tamura, Jpn. J. Appl. Phys. Phys. 2, Lett. 37, L630 (1998).
• 21. S. Ruvimov, Z. Lilienthal-Weber, J. Washburn, T. J. Drummond, M. Haifich, S.R. Lee, Appl. Phys. L ett. 71, 2931 (1997).
• 22. S. Shokhovets, R. Goldhahn, V. Cimalla, T. S. Cheng, C. T. Foxon, J. Appl. Phys. 84, 1561 (1998).
• 23. J.F. Nye, Physical Properties of Crystals, 1st ed., Oxford University Press, Oxford 1985, p. 235.
• 24. N. E. Christensen, I. Gorczyca, Phys. Rev. B 50, 4397 (1994).
• 25. W. R. L. Lambrecht, S.N. Rashkeev, Phys. Status Solidi B 217, 599 (2000).
• 26. L. X. Benedict, E. L. Shirley, Phys. Rev. B 59, 5441 (1999).
• 27. F. Bechstedt, J. Furthmuller, M. Ferhat, L. K. Teles, L. M. R. Scolfaro, J. R. Leite, V. Yu. Davydov, O. Ambacher, R. Goldhahn, Phys. Status Solidi A 195, 628 (2003).
• 28. K. Kornitzer, T. Ebner, K. Thonke, R. Sauer, C. Kirchner, V. Schwegler, M. Kamp, M. Leszczynski, I. Grzegory, S. Porowski, Phys. Rev. B 60, 1471 (1999).
• 29. R. M. A. Azzam, N. M. Bashara, Ellipsometry and Polarized Light, 1st ed., Elsevier Science Publishers B. V. North Holland, Amsterdam 1989.
• 30. M. Schubert, Phys. Rev. B 53, 4265 (1996); M. Schubert, B. Rheinlander, J.A. Woollam, B. Johs, C.M. Herzinger, J. Opt. Soc. Am. A 13, 875 (1996).
• 31. R. Dingle, D. D. Sell, S.E. Stokowski, M. Ilegems, Phys. Rev. B 4, 1211 (1971).
• 32. G. Yu, H. Ishikawa, T. Egawa, T. Soga, J. Watanabe, T. Jimbo, M. Umeno, Jpn. J. Appl. Phys. Phys. 2, Lett. 36, L1029 (1997).
• 33. D. E. Aspnes, J. Opt. Soc. Am. 70, 1275 (1980).
• 34. C. Cobet, N. Esser, J. T. Zettler, W. Richter, P. Waltereit, O. Brandt, K. H. Ploog, S. Peters, N. V. Edwards, O.P.A. Lindquist, M. Cardona, Phys. Rev. B 64, 165203 (2001).
• 35. N. V. Edwards, M. D. Bremser, T. W. Weeks, Jr., R. S. Kern, R. F. Davis, D. E. Aspnes, Appl. Phys. Lett. 69, 2065 (1996).
• 36. T. Wethkamp, Optical Properties of Group-III-Nitrides in the Visible to Vacuum-Ultraviolet Spectral Range Investigated by Spectroscopic Ellipsometry, 1st ed., Mensch & Buch Verlag, Berlin 1999.
• 37. S.W. King, J.P. Barnak, M. D. Bremser, K. M. Tracy, C. Ronning, R. F. Davis, R. J. Nemanich, J. Appl. Phys. 84, 5248 (1998).
• 38. R. Goldhahn, S. Shokhovets, J. Scheiner, G. Gobsch, T. S. Cheng, C. T. Foxon, U. Kaiser, G.D. Kipshidze, W. Richter, Phys. Status Solidi A 177, 107 (2000).
• 39. T. Kawashima, H. Yoshikawa, S. Adachi, S. Fuke, K. Ohtsuka, J. Appl. Phys. 82, 3528 (1997).
• 40. D. V. Sivukhin, Zh. Eksp. Teor. Fiz. 30, 374 (1956) [Sov. Phys. JETP 3, 269 (1956)].
• 41. D. E. Aspnes, J. B. Theeten, F. Hottier, Phys. Rev. B 20, 3292 (1979).
• 42. D. E. Aspnes, Thin Solid Films 89, 249 (1982).
• 43. J.C. Maxwell-Garnett, 237 (1906). Philos. Trans. R. Soc. Lond. 203, 385 (1904); ibid. A 205, 237 (1906)
• 44. D. A. G. Bruggeman, Ann. Physik (Leipzig) 24, 636 (1935).
• 45. H. E. Bennett, J. O. Porteus, J. Opt. Soc. Am. 51, 123 (1961); J. O. Porteus, J. Opt. Soc. Am. 63, 1394 (1963); H. E. Bennett, Opt. Eng. 17, 480 (1978).
• 46. I. Ohlidal, K. Navratil, F. Lukes, J. Opt. Soc. Am. 61, 1630 (1971); I. Ohlidal, K. Navratil, F. Lukes, Surf. Sci. 45, 91 (1974).
• 47. L. T. Romano, in: Gallium Nitride and Related Semiconductors, EMIS Datareviews Series, Eds. by J. H. Edgar, S. Strite, I. Akasaki, H. Amano, C. Wetzel, Vol. 23, IN SPEC, London 1999, p. 239.
• 48. N. Wieser, M. Klose, F. Scholz, J. Off, Y. Dutrieux, Mat. Sci. Forum 264-268, 1355 (1998).
• 49. S. Shokhovets, R. Goldhahn, T. S. Cheng, C. T. Foxon, Semicond. Sci. Technol. 14, 181 (1999).
• 50. H. Amano, N. Watanabe, N. Koide, I. Akasaki, Jpn. J. Appl. Phys. Phys. 2, Let. 32, L1000 (1993).
• 51. M. J. Bergmann, U. Ozgur, H. C. Casey, Jr., H. O. Everitt, F. Muth, Appl. Phys. Lett. 75, 67 (1999).
• 52. S. Shokhovets, R. Goldhahn, G. Gobsch, S. Piekh, R. Lantier, A. Rizzi, V. Lebedev, W. Richter, J. Appl. Phys. 94, 307 (2003).
• 53. J. Pastrnák, L. Roskovcov, Phys. Status Solidi 141, K5 (1966); L. Roskovcov, J. Pastrnák, R. Babusková, Phys. Status Solidi 20, K29 (1967).
• 54. B. T. Sullivan, R. R. Parsons, K. L. Westra, M. J. Brett, J. Appl. Phys. 64, 4144 (1988).
• 55. V. Yu. Davydov, A. A. Klochikhin, R. P. Seisyan, V. V. Emtsev, S.V. Ivanov, F. Bechstedt, J. Furthmuller, H. Harima, A. V. Mudryi, J. Aderhold, O. Semchinova, J. Graul, Phys. Status Solidi B 229, R1 (2002).
• 56. J. Wu, W. Walukiewicz, K. M. Yu, J. W. Ager III, E.E. Haller, H. Lu, W. J. Schaff, Y. Saito, Y. Nanishi, Appl. Phys. Lett. 80, 3967 (2002).
• 57. T. Matsuoka, H. Okamoto, M. Nakao, H. Harima, E. Kurimoto, 81, Appl. Phys. Lett. 81, 1246 (2002).
• 58. R. T. Shamrell, C. Parman, Opt. Mater. 13, 289 (1999).
• 59. F. Li, D. Mo, C. B. Cao, Y. L. Zhang, H. L. Chan, C.L. Choy, J. Mat. Sci., Mat. Electr. 12, 725 (2001).
• 60. Q. Guo, O. Kato, M. Fujisawa, A. Yoshida, Solid State Commun. 83, 721 (1992); Q. Guo, H. Ogawa, A. Yoshida, J. Electron Spectrosc. Relat. Phenom. 79, 9 (1996).
• 61. H. Lu, W. J. Schaff, J. Hwang, H. Wu, G. Koley, L. F. Eastman, Appl. Phys. Lett. 79, 1489 (2001).
• 62. S. Yamaguchi, M. Kariya, S. Nitta, T. Takeuchi, C. Wetzel, H. Amano, I. Akasaki, J. Appl. Phys. 85, 7682 (1999).
• 63. C. Persson, R. Ahuja, A. Ferreira da Silva, B. Johansson, J. Phys., Condens. Matter 13, 8945 (2001).
• 64. J.D. Dow, D. Redfield, Phys. Rev. B 1, 3358 (1970).
• 65. D. F. Blossey, Phys. Rev. B 2, 3976 (1970); D. F. Blossey, Phys. Rev. B 3, 1382 (1971).
• 66. S. Shokhovets, D. Fuhrmann, R. Goldhahn, G. Gobsch, O. Ambacher, M. Hermann, U. Karrer, M. Eickhoff, Appl. Phys. Lett. 1712 (2003).

Identifiers

DOI

10.12693/APhysPolA.104.123