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Published online by Cambridge University Press: 10 February 2011
A structural examination of aluminum nitride growth on [111 ] silicon was carried out using transmission electron microscopy. Electron diffraction indicates that the basal planes of the wurtzitic overlayer mimic the orientation of the close-packed planes of the substrate. However, considerable, random rotation in the basal plane and random out of plane tilts of about ±3–4$ are evident. The orientation variations were traced to the Si interface, where crystallites and an amorphous-like background were present. A strong relationship between these phenomena and substrates containing Si is established by comparing the present growth results with those reported elsewhere. Crystalline quality of the overgrown GaN on the AIN layer is described, with suggestions for the relation between surface pyramids or peaks and the mis-oriented buffer layer.