Effect of AlN buffer layer on the growth of InN epitaxial film on Si substrate

InN films were grown on Si(111) substrates by RF-MBE, and an AIN buffer layer was inserted between Si substrates and a low-temperature InN buffer layer. The AIN buffer layer suppressed the formation of amorphous-like SiNx layer on the Si substrate surface, which led to the improvement of the crystallinity of the low-temperature InN buffer layer. High-quality InN films could then be realized on the low-temperature InN buffer layer with the AIN buffer layer inserted. The best value of the XRC-FWHM was 31.3 arcmin for InN films with a thickness of 300 nm. In addition, a surface reconstruction of InN was observed for the first time. (C) 2003 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.