Microstructural study of MBE-grown ZnO film on GaN/sapphire (0001) substrate

Abstract

AbstractSingle crystalline ZnO film is grown on GaN/sapphire (0001) substrate by molecular beam epitaxy. Ga2O3 is introduced into the ZnO/GaN heterostructure intentionally by oxygen-plasma pre-exposure on the GaN surface prior to ZnO growth. The crystalline orientation and interfacial microstructure are characterized by X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy. X-ray diffraction analysis shows strong c-axis preferred orientation of the ZnO film. Cross-sectional transmission electron microscope images reveal that an additional phase is formed at the interface of ZnO/GaN. Through a comparison of diffraction patterns, we confirm that the interface layer is monoclinic Ga2O3 and the main epitaxial relationship should be $$ (0001)_{ZnO} \parallel (001)_{Ga_2 O_3 } \parallel (0001)_{GaN} $$ and $$ [2 - 1 - 10]_{ZnO} \parallel [010]_{Ga_2 O_3 } \parallel [2 - 1 - 10]_{GaN} $$.