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Infrared-active phonon modes and static dielectric constants in α -(Al x Ga 1− x ) 2 O 3 (0.18 ≤ x ≤ 0.54) alloys
We determine the composition dependence of the transverse and longitudinal optical infrared-active phonon modes in rhombohedral α-(Al x Ga 1− x ) 2 O 3 alloys by far-infrared and infrared generalized spectroscopic ellipsometry. Single-crystalline high quality undoped thin-films grown on m-plane oriented α-Al 2 O 3 substrates with x =  0.18, 0.37, and 0.54 were investigated. A single mode behavior is observed for all phonon modes, i.e., their frequencies shift gradually between the equivalent phonon modes of the isostructural binary parent compounds. We also provide physical model line shape functions for the anisotropic dielectric functions. We use the anisotropic high-frequency dielectric constants for polarizations parallel and perpendicular to the lattice c axis measured recently by Hilfiker et al. [Appl. Phys. Lett. 119, 092103 (2021)], and we determine the anisotropic static dielectric constants using the Lyddane–Sachs–Teller relation. The static dielectric constants can be approximated by linear relationships between those of α-Ga 2 O 3 and α-Al 2 O 3 . The optical phonon modes and static dielectric constants will become useful for device design and free charge carrier characterization using optical techniques.
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Publication Date:
NSF-PAR ID:
10339269
Journal Name:
Applied Physics Letters
Volume:
120
Issue:
11
Page Range or eLocation-ID:
112202
ISSN:
0003-6951
4. SiC and Ga 2 O 3 are promising wide band gap semiconductors for applications in power electronics because of their high breakdown electric field and normally off operation. However, lack of a suitable dielectric material that can provide high interfacial quality remains a problem. This can potentially lead to high leakage current and conducting loss. In this work, we present a novel atomic layer deposition process to grow epitaxially Mg x Ca 1− x O dielectric layers on 4H-SiC(0001) and β-Ga 2 O 3 $\left( {\bar 201} \right)$ substrates. By tuning the composition of Mg x Ca 1− x O toward the substrate lattice constant, better interfacial epitaxy can be achieved. The interfacial and epitaxy qualities were investigated and confirmed by cross-sectional transmission electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction studies. Mg 0.72 Ca 0.28 O film showed the highest epitaxy quality on 4H-SiC(0001) because of its closest lattice match with the substrate. Meanwhile, highly textured Mg 0.25 Ca 0.75 O films can be grown on β-Ga 2 O 3 $\left( {\bar 201} \right)$ with a preferred orientation of (111).