In this contribution we report on the optical properties of cubic AlN/GaN asymmetric multi quantum wells (MQW) structures on 3C-SiC/Si (001) substrates grown by radio-frequency plasma-assisted molecular beam epitaxy (MBE). Scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) and spatially resolved cathodoluminescence (CL) at room temperature and at low temperature are used to characterize the optical properties of the cubic AlN/GaN MQW structures. An increasing CL emission intensity with increasing film thickness due to the improved crystal quality was observed. This correlation can be directly connected to the reduction of the linewidth of x-ray rocking curves with increasing film thickness of the c-GaN films. Defects like stacking faults (SFs) on the {111} planes, which also can be considered as hexagonal inclusions in the cubic crystal matrix, lead to a decrease of the CL emission intensity. With low temperature CL line scans also monolayer fluctuations of the QWs have been detected and the observed transition energies agree well with solutions calculated using a one-dimensional (1D) Schrödinger-Poisson simulator.

The microstructures of YBa2Cu3O7−δ (YBCO) thin films grown on Si with Y-stabilized ZrO2 (YSZ) and Y2O3 buffer layers were characterized by means of high-resolution electron microscopy. At the Si–YSZ interface, a 2.5 nm thick layer of regrown amorphous SiOx is present. The layer is interrupted by crystalline regions, typically 5 to 10 nm wide and 10 to 50 nm apart. Close to the crystalline regions, {111} defects are present in the Si substrate. The typical defect observed is an extrinsic stacking fault plus a perfect dislocation close to the stacking fault which terminates extra {111} planes in the upper part of the Si. These defects are probably formed by condensation of Si self-interstitials created during oxide regrowth. Precipitates are present in the Si close to the Si–YSZ interface and indicate that in-diffusion of Zr has occurred. The YSZ–Y2O3 interface is atomically sharp and essentially planar and contains no second phases. Perfect misfit dislocations with Burgers vector 1/2〈110〉 are present at this interface along with unrelaxed elastic misfit stresses. The Y2O3–YBCO interface is atomically sharp and planar, but contains steps. (001) stacking faults are present in the YBCO above these steps; the faults are, however, healed a few unit cells away from the interface. By HREM analysis of ultrathin specimen areas, the atomic layer of the YBCO closest to the Y2O3 was found to be a barium-oxygen layer.

Single crystalline YSZ and Y2O3 thin films are grown on Si(100) by e-beam evaporation. The amorphous S1O2 surface layer is removed in-situ by initially growing at low oxygen partial pressures in the case of YSZ or by first evaporating metallic Y for the growth of Y2O3. Epitaxy occurs by a solid state reaction after the SiO2 has been reduced by metallic Zr or Y. For Si/YSZ/Y2O3 the growth is cube on cube while in the case of Si/Y2O3/YSZ the oxide layers grow twinned in (110) orientation. XPS analysis and AES depth profiles reveal the reoxidation of the Si during further growth. Critical temperatures of 90 K and high current densities of 3.2×106 A/cm2 are measured on 150 nm thick YBCO films on SOS/YSZ/Y2O3 proving the excellent quality of the YBCO and the underlying buffer layers.