Defect structure of epitaxial layers of III nitrides as determined by analyzing the shape of X-ray diffraction peaks

Abstract

The shape of X-ray diffraction epitaxial layers with high dislocation densities has been studied experimentally. Measurements with an X-ray diffractometer were performed in double- and triple-crystal setups with both CuK _α and MoK _α radiation. Epitaxial layers (GaN, AlN, AlGaN, ZnO, etc.) with different degrees of structural perfection grown by various methods on sapphire, silicon, and silicon carbide substrates have been examined. The layer thickness varied in the range of 0.5–30 μm. It has been found that the center part of peaks is well approximated by the Voigt function with different Lorentz fractions, while the wing intensity drops faster and may be represented by a power function (with the index that varies from one structure to another). A well-marked dependence on the ordering of dislocations was observed. The drop in intensity in the majority of structures with a regular system and regular threading dislocations was close to the theoretically predicted law Δθ^–3; the intensity in films with a chaotic distribution decreased much faster. The dependence of the peak shape on the order of reflection, the diffraction geometry, and the epitaxial layer thickness was also examined.