Comparison of the Material Quality of AlxIn1−xN (x—0–0.50) Films Deposited on Si(100) and Si(111) at Low Temperature by Reactive RF Sputtering

Abstract

AlxIn1−xN ternary semiconductors have attracted much interest for application in photovoltaic devices. Here, we compare the material quality of AlxIn1−xN layers deposited on Si with different crystallographic orientations, (100) and (111), via radio-frequency (RF) sputtering. To modulate their Al content, the Al RF power was varied from 0 to 225 W, whereas the In RF power and deposition temperature were fixed at 30 W and 300 °C, respectively. X-ray diffraction measurements reveal a c-axis-oriented wurtzite structure with no phase separation regardless of the Al content (x = 0–0.50), which increases with the Al power supply. The surface morphology of the AlxIn1−xN layers improves with increasing Al content (the root-mean-square roughness decreases from ≈12 to 2.5 nm), and it is similar for samples grown on both Si substrates. The amorphous layer (~2.5 nm thick) found at the interface with the substrates explains the weak influence of their orientation on the properties of the AlxIn1−xN films. Simultaneously grown AlxIn1−xN-on-sapphire samples point to a residual n-type carrier concentration in the 1020–1021 cm−3 range. The optical band gap energy of these layers evolves from 1.75 to 2.56 eV with the increase in the Al. PL measurements of AlxIn1−xN show a blue shift in the peak emission when adding the Al, as expected. We also observe an increase in the FWHM of the main peak and a decrease in the integrated emission with the Al content in room-temperature PL measurements. In general, the material quality of the AlxIn1-xN films on Si is similar for both crystallographic orientations.