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In Situ Formation of Ge Nanoparticles by Annealing of Al-Ge-N Thin Films Followed by HAXPES and XRD

Von Fieandt, Kristina ; Johansson, Fredrik O.L. ; Balmes, Olivier LU ; Lindblad, Rebecka LU ; Riekehr, Lars ; Lindblad, Andreas LU and Lewin, Erik (2019) In Inorganic Chemistry 58(16). p.11100-11109
Abstract

Ge nanoparticles embedded in thin films have attracted a lot of attention due to their promising optical and electronic properties that can be tuned by varying the particle size and choice of matrix material. In this study, Ge nanoparticle formation was investigated for Al-Ge-N based thin films by simultaneous measurements of HAXPES and grazing incidence XRD during in situ annealing in vacuum conditions. As-deposited Al-Ge-N thin films, synthesized by reactive dc magnetron sputtering, consisted of a nanocrystalline (Al1-xGex)Ny solid solution and an amorphous tissue phase of Ge3Ny. Upon annealing to 750 °C, elemental Ge was formed shown by both HAXPES and XRD measurements, and... (More)

Ge nanoparticles embedded in thin films have attracted a lot of attention due to their promising optical and electronic properties that can be tuned by varying the particle size and choice of matrix material. In this study, Ge nanoparticle formation was investigated for Al-Ge-N based thin films by simultaneous measurements of HAXPES and grazing incidence XRD during in situ annealing in vacuum conditions. As-deposited Al-Ge-N thin films, synthesized by reactive dc magnetron sputtering, consisted of a nanocrystalline (Al1-xGex)Ny solid solution and an amorphous tissue phase of Ge3Ny. Upon annealing to 750 °C, elemental Ge was formed shown by both HAXPES and XRD measurements, and N2 gas was released as measured by a mass spectrometer. Postannealed ex situ analysis by SEM and TEM showed that the elemental Ge phase formed spherical nanoparticles on the surface of the film, with an average size of 210 nm. As the annealing temperature increased further to 850 °C, the Ge particles on the film surface evaporated, while the phase segregation of Ge still could be observed within the film. Thus, these results show the possibility for a controlled synthesis of Ge nanoparticles through annealing of Al-Ge-N thin films to produce materials suitable for use in electronic or optoelectronic devices.

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author
; ; ; ; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
in
Inorganic Chemistry
volume
58
issue
16
pages
11100 - 11109
publisher
The American Chemical Society (ACS)
external identifiers
  • pmid:31381309
  • scopus:85071017567
ISSN
0020-1669
DOI
10.1021/acs.inorgchem.9b01631
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
60cc546d-6270-4bee-8edb-614731354c55
date added to LUP
2019-09-09 10:49:52
date last changed
2024-03-04 00:19:02
@article{60cc546d-6270-4bee-8edb-614731354c55,
  abstract     = {{<p>Ge nanoparticles embedded in thin films have attracted a lot of attention due to their promising optical and electronic properties that can be tuned by varying the particle size and choice of matrix material. In this study, Ge nanoparticle formation was investigated for Al-Ge-N based thin films by simultaneous measurements of HAXPES and grazing incidence XRD during in situ annealing in vacuum conditions. As-deposited Al-Ge-N thin films, synthesized by reactive dc magnetron sputtering, consisted of a nanocrystalline (Al<sub>1-x</sub>Ge<sub>x</sub>)N<sub>y</sub> solid solution and an amorphous tissue phase of Ge<sub>3</sub>N<sub>y</sub>. Upon annealing to 750 °C, elemental Ge was formed shown by both HAXPES and XRD measurements, and N<sub>2</sub> gas was released as measured by a mass spectrometer. Postannealed ex situ analysis by SEM and TEM showed that the elemental Ge phase formed spherical nanoparticles on the surface of the film, with an average size of 210 nm. As the annealing temperature increased further to 850 °C, the Ge particles on the film surface evaporated, while the phase segregation of Ge still could be observed within the film. Thus, these results show the possibility for a controlled synthesis of Ge nanoparticles through annealing of Al-Ge-N thin films to produce materials suitable for use in electronic or optoelectronic devices.</p>}},
  author       = {{Von Fieandt, Kristina and Johansson, Fredrik O.L. and Balmes, Olivier and Lindblad, Rebecka and Riekehr, Lars and Lindblad, Andreas and Lewin, Erik}},
  issn         = {{0020-1669}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{16}},
  pages        = {{11100--11109}},
  publisher    = {{The American Chemical Society (ACS)}},
  series       = {{Inorganic Chemistry}},
  title        = {{In Situ Formation of Ge Nanoparticles by Annealing of Al-Ge-N Thin Films Followed by HAXPES and XRD}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1021/acs.inorgchem.9b01631}},
  doi          = {{10.1021/acs.inorgchem.9b01631}},
  volume       = {{58}},
  year         = {{2019}},
}