A Combination of Ion Implantation and High-Temperature Annealing: Donor–Acceptor Pairs in Carbon-Implanted AlN

authored by: Lukas Peters, Hendrik Spende, Stefan Wolter, Christoph Margenfeld, Carsten Ronning, Tobias Voss, Andreas Waag
Abstract: Herein, carbon-implanted high-temperature annealed (HTA) AlN layers are analyzed and donor–acceptor pair (DAP) transitions probably between the two most abundant impurities, carbon and oxygen, are identified. Both are regarded as the main, hard-to-avoid impurities in crystal growth. Oxygen is believed to lead to absorption in the deep UV below a wavelength of 250 nm. In contrast, carbon is the most likely candidate to be responsible for a distinct absorption band around 265 nm. This interpretation has recently been challenged. In this study, carbon-implanted and HTA AlN layers with ion fluences above 8.1 × 10¹⁵ cm⁻² are analyzed using low-temperature and time-resolved cathodoluminescence spectroscopy. Due to the high concentration of oxygen inside the AlN, as a result of the HTA process, a DAP transition between a most likely carbon-related acceptor and O_N is observed. The measured temperature- and power-dependent blueshift of the peak emission energy as well as the luminescence transients can be clearly explained by a continuous change from a DAP transition at low temperature to a free electron to acceptor transition with increasing temperature. The findings are supported by a configurational coordinate model that describes the measured behavior qualitatively.
External Organisation(s): Technische Universität Braunschweig
Friedrich Schiller University Jena
Type: Article
Journal: Physica Status Solidi (A) Applications and Materials Science
Volume: 220
ISSN: 1862-6300
Publication date: 18.08.2023
Publication status: Published
Peer reviewed: Yes
ASJC Scopus subject areas: Electronic, Optical and Magnetic Materials, Condensed Matter Physics, Surfaces and Interfaces, Surfaces, Coatings and Films, Materials Chemistry, Electrical and Electronic Engineering
Electronic version(s): https://doi.org/10.1002/pssa.202200809 (Access: Open)

BibTeX

@article{eb84cd63795e41d2922c413a7b5b9dd3,
title = "A Combination of Ion Implantation and High-Temperature Annealing: Donor–Acceptor Pairs in Carbon-Implanted AlN",
abstract = "Herein, carbon-implanted high-temperature annealed (HTA) AlN layers are analyzed and donor–acceptor pair (DAP) transitions probably between the two most abundant impurities, carbon and oxygen, are identified. Both are regarded as the main, hard-to-avoid impurities in crystal growth. Oxygen is believed to lead to absorption in the deep UV below a wavelength of 250 nm. In contrast, carbon is the most likely candidate to be responsible for a distinct absorption band around 265 nm. This interpretation has recently been challenged. In this study, carbon-implanted and HTA AlN layers with ion fluences above 8.1 × 1015 cm−2 are analyzed using low-temperature and time-resolved cathodoluminescence spectroscopy. Due to the high concentration of oxygen inside the AlN, as a result of the HTA process, a DAP transition between a most likely carbon-related acceptor and ON is observed. The measured temperature- and power-dependent blueshift of the peak emission energy as well as the luminescence transients can be clearly explained by a continuous change from a DAP transition at low temperature to a free electron to acceptor transition with increasing temperature. The findings are supported by a configurational coordinate model that describes the measured behavior qualitatively.",
keywords = "AlN, cathodoluminescence, donor–acceptor pair, high-temperature annealing, ion implantation",
author = "Lukas Peters and Hendrik Spende and Stefan Wolter and Christoph Margenfeld and Carsten Ronning and Tobias Voss and Andreas Waag",
note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2023 The Authors. physica status solidi (a) applications and materials science published by Wiley-VCH GmbH.",
year = "2023",
month = aug,
day = "18",
doi = "10.1002/pssa.202200809",
language = "English",
volume = "220",
journal = "Physica Status Solidi (A) Applications and Materials Science",
issn = "1862-6300",
publisher = "Wiley-VCH Verlag",
number = "16",
}