Band alignment at a ZnO/GaN (0001) heterointerface

We report the experimental results of the valence band offset at a ZnO/GaN (0001) heterointerface. The ZnO/GaN (0001) heterointerface is prepared by growing a ZnO layer on (0001) GaN/Al2O3, in which the ZnO layer is epitaxially deposited by plasma-assisted molecular-beam epitaxy, while the GaN template is prepared by metalorganic chemical-vapor deposition. Ex situ ultraviolet and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy have been used to measure the valence band offset DeltaE(V). The photoelectron spectroscopy measurements are done before and after Ar+ ion cleaning of the surfaces. Type-II band alignments with band offsets of DeltaE(V)=1.0 eV (before cleaning) and 0.8 eV (after cleaning) with the valence band maximum of GaN being placed above that of ZnO are obtained. (C) 2001 American Institute of Physics.