Anisotropic dielectric function, direction dependent bandgap energy, band order, and indirect to direct gap crossover in α-(AlxGa1−x)2O3 (0≤𝑥≤10≤x≤1)Show others and affiliations
2022 (English)In: Applied Physics Letters, ISSN 0003-6951, E-ISSN 1077-3118, Vol. 121, no 5, article id 052101Article in journal (Refereed) Published
Abstract [en]
Mueller matrix spectroscopic ellipsometry is applied to determine anisotropic optical properties for a set of single-crystal rhombohedral structure alpha-(AlxGa1-x)(2)O-3 thin films (0 <= x <= 1). Samples are grown by plasma-assisted molecular beam epitaxy on m-plane sapphire. A critical-point model is used to render a spectroscopic model dielectric function tensor and to determine direct electronic band-to-band transition parameters, including the direction dependent two lowest-photon energy band-to-band transitions associated with the anisotropic bandgap. We obtain the composition dependence of the direction dependent two lowest band-to-band transitions with separate bandgap bowing parameters associated with the perpendicular (b(Eg,⊥) = 1.31 eV) and parallel (b(Eg,||) = 1.61 eV) electric field polarization to the lattice c direction. Our density functional theory calculations indicate a transition from indirect to direct characteristics between alpha-Ga2O3 and alpha-Al2O3, respectively, and we identify a switch in band order where the lowest band-to-band transition occurs with polarization perpendicular to c in alpha-Ga2O3 whereas for alpha-Al2O3 the lowest transition occurs with polarization parallel to c. We estimate that the change in band order occurs at approximately 40% Al content. Additionally, the characteristic of the lowest energy critical point transition for polarization parallel to c changes from M-1 type in alpha-Ga2O3 to M-0 type van Hove singularity in alpha-Al2O3.
Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
AIP Publishing , 2022. Vol. 121, no 5, article id 052101
National Category
Condensed Matter Physics
Identifiers
URN: urn:nbn:se:liu:diva-187316DOI: 10.1063/5.0087602ISI: 000835323500011OAI: oai:DiVA.org:liu-187316DiVA, id: diva2:1688392
Note
Funding Agencies|National Science Foundation (NSF) [NSF DMR 1808715, NSF/EPSCoR]; RII Track-1: Emergent Quantum Materials and Technologies (EQUATE) [OIA-2044049]; Air Force Office of Scientific Research [FA9550-18-1-0360, FA9550-19-S-0003, FA9550-21-1-0259]; ACCESS, an AFOSR Center of Excellence [FA9550-18-1-0529]; Knut and Alice Wallenbergs Foundation; University of Nebraska Foundation; J. A. Woollam Foundation; Japan Society for the Promotion of Science Overseas Challenge Program for Young Researchers [1080033]
2022-08-182022-08-182022-08-18