YxAl1-xN Thin Films

Abstract

Reactive magnetron sputtering was used to deposit YxAl1-xN thin films, 0≤x≤0.22, onto Al2O3(0001) and Si(100) substrates. X-ray diffraction and analytical electron microscopy show that the films are solid solutions. Lattice constants are increasing with Y concentration, in agreement with ab initio calculations. Spectroscopic ellipsometry measurements reveal a band gap decrease from 6.2 eV (x=0) down to 4.9 eV (x=0.22). Theoretical investigations within the special quasirandom structure approach show that the wurtzite structure has the lowest mixingenthalpy for 0≤x≤0.75.funding agencies|Linkoping Linnaeus Initiative on Nanoscale Functional Materials (LiLiNFM)||Swedish Research Council (VR)|349-2008-6582|FCT Portugal|SFRH/BPD/66818/2009|VR|2010-3848|Swedish Governmental Agency for Innovation Systems (VINNOVA)|2011-03486|</p