Role of ZnS buffer layers in growth of zincblende ZnO on GaAs substrates by metalorganic molecular-beam epitaxy

• Published in: Journal of crystal growth Vol. 221; no. 1; pp. 435 - 439
• Main Authors: Ashrafi, A.A, Ueta, A, Kumano, H, Suemune, I
• Format: Journal Article Conference Proceeding
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier B.V 01.12.2000; Elsevier
• Subjects: Atomic force microscopy; Buffer layer; Condensed matter: electronic structure, electrical, magnetic, and optical properties; Cross-disciplinary physics: materials science; rheology; Exact sciences and technology; GaAs substrate; Materials science; Methods of deposition of films and coatings; film growth and epitaxy; Molecular, atomic, ion, and chemical beam epitaxy; Optical properties and condensed-matter spectroscopy and other interactions of matter with particles and radiation; Other solid inorganic materials; Photoluminescence; Physics; Zincblende ZnO; GaAs substrate; Buffer layer; Atomic force microscopy; Zincblende ZnO; Photoluminescence; 61.82.Fk; 81.15.Hi; 81.15.−z; 68.55.Jk; Zinc sulfides; Inorganic compounds; Semiconductor materials; Transition element compounds; Roughness; MOMBE method; Surfaces; Crystal growth from vapors; Experimental study; Crystal perfection; Thin films; Thickness; Zinc oxides; Morphology; Size effect; Molecular beam epitaxy; Heterojunctions
• ISSN: 0022-0248; 1873-5002
• DOI: 10.1016/S0022-0248(00)00732-6

ZnS buffer layers were used to grow ZnO films on GaAs(0 0 1) substrates. The role of ZnS buffer layers in the growth of zincblende ZnO films on GaAs(0 0 1) substrates was investigated by atomic force microscopy, X-ray diffraction, and photoluminescence (PL) measurements. The optimization of the ZnS buffer layer thickness resulted in improvements of the surface morphology and crystalline quality of ZnO films by homogeneous nucleation. With the optimized ZnS buffer layer thickness of ∼72 nm the surface root-mean-square roughness of the grown ZnO film was minimized to ∼14 nm and the deep-level PL intensity was reduced to 1/76 of the near-band edge PL intensity at room temperature.