Hostname: page-component-848d4c4894-sjtt6 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-06-25T05:28:38.296Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

X-ray Diffraction Study of Chalcopyrite ZnSnP2 Epitaxial Layers

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  10 February 2011

S. Francoeur ,
G. A. Seryogin ,
S. A. Nikishin  and
H. Temkin
S. Francoeur
Affiliation:
Electrical Engineering Department, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX 79409
G. A. Seryogin
Affiliation:
Electrical Engineering Department, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX 79409
S. A. Nikishin
Affiliation:
Electrical Engineering Department, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX 79409
H. Temkin
Affiliation:
Electrical Engineering Department, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX 79409
Get access

Abstract

We apply the technique of x-ray diffraction to the determination of the crystallographic structure and the quantitative measurement of the order parameter of ZnSnP2 epitaxial layers. In bulk, ZnSnP2 it is possible to obtain highly ordered distribution of Zn and Sn atoms in the cation sublattice, but epitaxial growth often produces partially ordered layers. The ordered and disordered phases correspond to the chalcopyrite and sphalerite structures and their respective band gaps are 1.66 and 1.24 eV. Since ZnSnP2 is almost lattice-matched to GaAs. it is interesting candidate for optoelectronic applications.

Samples used in this work were grown by gas source molecular beam epitaxy on GaAs substrates. Slight variations in growth conditions could be induced to produce partially ordered and disordered structures. Chalcopyrite ordering is determined by the observation of several characteristic reflections identifying the lower symmetry of this structure. For example, reflections from (101), (217) and (611) planes, strictly forbidden for sphalerite, were measured. The quantitative determination of the order parameter could be made by comparing intensities of a carefully chosen set of measured and calculated reflections. We show that while kinematic approximation can be used to model weak superstructure reflections, in the calculation of the strong, low-angle, fundamental reflections used for intensity normalization it is necessary to take into account extinction effects. Order parameters varying from 0 to 30% were obtained.

Type
Research Article
Information
MRS Online Proceedings Library (OPL) , Volume 583 , 1999 , 277
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2000

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES

[1]Zunger, A. and Mahajan, S., Handbook of Semiconductors, 3, 1399 (1994).Google Scholar
[2]Ohmer, M. C. and Pandey, R., MRS Bulletin, 23, 7, 16 (1998).Google Scholar
[3]Folmer, J.C.W., Tuttle, J.R., Tu, J.A., and Parkinson, B.A., J. Electrochem. Soc., 132, 1608 (1985).Google Scholar
[4]Shay, J. L. and Wernick, J. H., Ternary Chalcopyrite Semiconductors, Pergamon Press, Oxford (1975).Google Scholar
[5]Berkovskii, F. M., Garbuzov, D. Z., Goryunova, N. A., Loshakova, G. V., Ryvkin, S. M., and Shpen'kov, G. P., Sov, Physics – Semiconductors, 21, 618 (1968).Google Scholar
[6]Davis, G. A. and Wolfe, C. M., J. Electrochem. Soc. Solid-State and Tech., 130, 6, 1408 (1983).Google Scholar
[7]Seryogin, G.A., Nikishin, S.A., Temkin, H., Mintairov, A.M., Merz, J.L., and Holtz, M., Appl. Phis. Lett. 74, 2128 (1999).Google Scholar
[8]Francoeur, S., Seryogin, G.A., Nikishin, S.A., and Temkin, H., Appl. Phys. Lett. 74, 3678 (1999).Google Scholar
[9]Chipman, D. and Warren, B.E., J. Appl. Phys. 21, 696 (1950).Google Scholar
[10]Warren, B.E., X-ray diffraction (Addison-Wesley, Reading, Ma, 1969), pp. 61, 209, 216.Google Scholar
[11]Forrest, R.L., Golding, T.D., Moss, S.C., Zhang, Z., Geisz, J.F., Olson, J.M., Mascarenhas, A., Ernst, P., and Geng, C., Phys. Rev. B 58, 15355 (1998).Google Scholar
[12]Bartels, W.J., Hornstra, J., and Lobeek, D.J.W., Acta Cryst. A 42, 539 (1986).Google Scholar
[13]Abrahams, S.C. and Hsu, F.S.L., J. Chem. Phys. 63, 1162 (1975).Google Scholar
[14]Elyukhin, V.A., Nikishin, S.A., and Temkin, H. (unpublished). This equation is similar to the one derived by Cowley for Cu3Au (Cowley, J.M., Phys. Rev. 77, 667 (1950), but specific to the chalcopyrite structure.Google Scholar