Valence and conduction band alignment at ScN interfaces with 3C-SiC (111) and 2H-GaN (0001)

Abstract

In order to understand and predict the behavior of future scandium nitride (ScN) semiconductor heterostructure devices, we have utilized in situ x-ray and ultra-violet photoelectron spectroscopy to determine the valence band offset (VBO) present at ScN/3C-SiC (111) and 2H-GaN (0001)/ScN (111) interfaces formed by ammonia gas source molecular beam epitaxy. The ScN/3C-SiC (111) VBO was dependent on the ScN growth temperature and resistivity. VBOs of 0.4 ± 0.1 and 0.1 ± 0.1 eV were, respectively, determined for ScN grown at 925 °C (low resistivity) and 800 °C (high resistivity). Using the band-gaps of 1.6 ± 0.2 and 1.4 ± 0.2 eV previously determined by reflection electron energy loss spectroscopy for the 925 and 800 °C ScN films, the respective conduction band offsets (CBO) for these interfaces were 0.4 ± 0.2 and 0.9 ± 0.2 eV. For a GaN (0001) interface with 925 °C ScN (111), the VBO and CBO were similarly determined to be 0.9 ± 0.1 and 0.9 ± 0.2 eV, respectively.

Document Details

Document Type
Pub Defense Publication
Publication Date
Aug 25, 2014
Source ID
10.1063/1.4894010

Entities

People

  • Robert F Davis
  • Robert J. Nemanich
  • Sean W. King

Organizations

  • Arizona State University
  • Carnegie Mellon University
  • Intel Corporation
  • North Carolina State University
  • Office of Naval Research

Tags

Fields of Study

  • Materials science

Readers

  • Materials Science and Engineering.
  • Semiconductor Device Technology
  • Thin Film Deposition Science.

Technology Areas

  • Microelectronics
  • Microelectronics - Graphene