Controlled Nucleation of GaN Nanowires Grown with Molecular Beam Epitaxy

The location of GaN nanowires is controlled with essentially perfect selectivity using patterned SiN_x prior to molecular beam epitaxy growth. Nanowire growth is uniform within mask openings and absent on the mask surface for over 95% of the usable area of a 76 mm diameter substrate. The diameters of the resulting nanowires are controlled by the size of the mask openings. Openings of approximately 500 nm or less produce single nanowires with symmetrically faceted tips.     

Magnetic flux pinning in epitaxial YBa2Cu3O7−δ thin films

The influence of microstructure on the critical current density of laser ablated YBa₂Cu₃O_7−δ thin films has been examined. Scanning tunneling microscopy was used to examine the morphologies of YBa₂Cu₃O_7−δ films and the morphology data were then correlated with measurements of the critical current density. The films were found to grow by an island nucleation and growth mechanism. The critical current densities of the films are similar to those of films with screw dislocation growth, indicating that screw dislocation growth is not necessary for good pinning. The data suggest that the critical current density in applied magnetic field may be higher in films with higher densities of growth features.     

Microstructure evolution and development of annealed Ni/Au contacts to GaN nanowires

The development of Ni/Au contacts to Mg-doped GaN nanowires (NWs) is examined. Unlike Ni/Au contacts to planar GaN, current-voltage (I-V) measurements of Mg-doped nanowire devices frequently exhibit a strong degradation after annealing in N(2)/O(2). This degradation originates from the poor wetting behavior of Ni and Au on SiO(2) and the excessive void formation that occurs at the metal/NW and metal/oxide interfaces. The void formation can cause cracking and delamination of the metal film as well as reduce the contact area at the metal/NW interface, which increases the resistance. The morphology and composition of the annealed Ni/Au contacts on SiO(2) and the p-GaN films were investigated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy-dispersive x-ray spectroscopy (EDS) and x-ray diffraction (XRD) measurements. Adhesion experiments were performed in order to determine the degree of adhesion of the Ni/Au films to the SiO(2) as well as observe and analyze the morphology of the film's underside by SEM. Device degradation from annealing was prevented through the use of a specific adhesion layer of Ti/Al/Ni deposited prior to the nanowire dispersal and Ni/Au deposition. I-V measurements of NW devices fabricated using this adhesion layer showed a decrease in resistance after annealing, whereas all others showed an increase in resistance. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) on a cross-section of a NW with Ni/Au contacts and a Ti/Al/Ni adhesion layer showed a lack of void formation at the contact/NW interface. Results of the XRD and TEM analysis of the NW contact structure using a Ti/Al/Ni adhesion layer suggests Al alloying of the Ni/Au contact increases the adhesion and stability of the metal film as well as prevents excessive void formation at the contact/NW interface.     

Microstructure and Electrical Properties of Sodium-Diffused and Potassium-Diffused SrTiO3 Barrier-Layer Capacitors Exhibiting Varistor Behavior

In sodium-diffused strontium titanate internal-boundary-layer capacitors exhibiting good varistor properties, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy and scanning transmission electron microscopy revealed sodium segregation at grain boundaries in the absence of intergranular phases. The segregation layer is narrow (≅10 nm), unlike much broader diffused boundary layers which have also been observed. The nonohmic behavior in these and in potassium-diffused specimens suggests that segregated acceptor alkali ions act as grain-boundary electron traps leading to varistor electrical barriers.