Optical and microstructural properties of In(As, N) quantum structure made by ion implantation and flash lamp processing

The In(As, N) quantum structures were formed in silicon, SiO2 and Si3N4 films by sequential ion implantation and subsequent thermal annealing. Samples were characterized by -Raman spectroscopy, Rutherford backscattering spectrometry (RBS), low temperature photoluminescence (PL), high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). Two kinds of crystalline InAs nanostructures were successfully synthesized: quantum dots (QDs) and nanopyramides (NPs). The Raman spectrum shows two peaks at 215 and 235 cm-1 corresponding to the transverse optical (TO) and longitudinal optical (LO) InAs phonon modes, respectively. The narrow PL band at around 1.3 m from the InAs QDs with an average diameter 7.5 ± 0.5 nm was observed.
The InAs NPs were found only in samples annealed for 20 ms at temperature range from 1000 up to 1200 oC. The crystallinity and pyramidal shape of InAs quantum structures were confirmed by high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) (see Fig. 1) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The average size of the NPs is 50 nm base and 50 nm high and they are oriented parallel to the Si (001) planes. The InAs nanopyramids grow in silicon due to liquid phase epitaxy. The InN crystals are formed on the top of silicon nitride layer due to outdiffusion of indium and in Si3N4 film. The PL measurements shows narrow band at around 1.35 m originated from hexagonal InN nanocrystals due to quantum confinement size effect. -Raman scattering study shows two peaks at 495 and 588 cm-1, which correspond to (TO) of E2h and (LO) of A1 phonon modes, respectively.