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Optoelectronic Properties of InAlN/GaN Distributed Bragg Reflector Heterostructure Examined by Valence Electron Energy Loss Spectroscopy

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  12 October 2012

A. Eljarrat ,
S. Estradé ,
Ž. Gačević ,
S. Fernández-Garrido ,
E. Calleja ,
C. Magén  and
F. Peiró
A. Eljarrat*
Affiliation:
Laboratory of Electron NanoScopies, LENS-MIND-IN2UB, Dept. Electrónica, Universitat de Barcelona, Marti i Franqués 1, Barcelona, Spain
S. Estradé
Affiliation:
Laboratory of Electron NanoScopies, LENS-MIND-IN2UB, Dept. Electrónica, Universitat de Barcelona, Marti i Franqués 1, Barcelona, Spain TEM-MAT, (CCiT), Universitat de Barcelona, Solís i Sabarís 1, Barcelona, Spain
Ž. Gačević
Affiliation:
ISOM, Instituto de Sistemas Optoelectrónicos y Microtecnología, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Spain
S. Fernández-Garrido
Affiliation:
ISOM, Instituto de Sistemas Optoelectrónicos y Microtecnología, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Spain Paul-Drude-Institute for Solid State Electronics, Hausvogteiplatz, 5-10117 Berlin, Germany
E. Calleja
Affiliation:
ISOM, Instituto de Sistemas Optoelectrónicos y Microtecnología, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Spain
C. Magén
Affiliation:
Instituto de Nanociencia de Aragón (INA) and Departamento de Física de la Materia Condensada, Universidad de Zaragoza, 50018 Zaragoza, Spain. Fundación ARAID, 50018 Zaragoza, Spain
F. Peiró
Affiliation:
Laboratory of Electron NanoScopies, LENS-MIND-IN2UB, Dept. Electrónica, Universitat de Barcelona, Marti i Franqués 1, Barcelona, Spain
*
*Corresponding author. E-mail: [email protected]
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Abstract

High-resolution monochromated electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS) at subnanometric spatial resolution and <200 meV energy resolution has been used to assess the valence band properties of a distributed Bragg reflector multilayer heterostructure composed of InAlN lattice matched to GaN. This work thoroughly presents the collection of methods and computational tools put together for this task. Among these are zero-loss-peak subtraction and nonlinear fitting tools, and theoretical modeling of the electron scattering distribution. EELS analysis allows retrieval of a great amount of information: indium concentration in the InAlN layers is monitored through the local plasmon energy position and calculated using a bowing parameter version of Vegard Law. Also a dielectric characterization of the InAlN and GaN layers has been performed through Kramers-Kronig analysis of the Valence-EELS data, allowing band gap energy to be measured and an insight on the polytypism of the GaN layers.

Keywords

VEELSoptical propertiesIII-V nitridesKramers-Kronig analysisband gap
Type
Materials Applications
Information
Microscopy and Microanalysis , Volume 18 , Issue 5 , October 2012 , pp. 1143 - 1154
Copyright
Copyright © Microscopy Society of America 2012

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