InGaN(0001) alloys grown in the entire composition range by plasma assisted molecular beam epitaxy

Indium gallium nitride alloy (0001) films in the entire composition range were grown heteroepitaxially by radio-frequency plasma assisted molecular beam epitaxy on Ga-polarity GaN(0001)/Al 2 O 3 substrates. A growth approach based on low substrate temperatures and near-stoichiometric growth conditions was followed. Under these conditions incorporation efficiency of indium atoms was equal to one. X-ray diffraction data reveal that phase separation phenomena were effectively suppressed. As the indium mole fraction increased, a tendency of the strain state of the films to change from compressive to tensile was observed. This was attributed to growth through nucleation and coalescence of three-dimensional InGaN islands with high lattice mismatch on GaN(0001).

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