Stabilization of Cubic AlN in Epitaxial AlN/TiN Superlattices

作者：Anita Madan, I. W. Kim, Shangcong Cheng, Philip C. Yashar, Vinayak P. Dravid, Scott Alexander Barnett · 发表于：Physical Review Letters · 年份：1997 · DOI：10.1103/physrevlett.78.1743 · 被引用次数：257 · 研究领域：Metal and Thin Film Mechanics、GaN-based semiconductor devices and materials、Semiconductor materials and devices

The high-pressure rocksalt structure of AlN was stabilized in epitaxial AlN/TiN(001) superlattices with AlN layer thickness $\ensuremath{\le}2.0\mathrm{nm}$. The AlN layers were shown to be pure rocksalt-structure AlN, with a stress-free lattice parameter of $0.408\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.002\mathrm{nm}$, using x-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, and electron energy loss spectroscopy. The stable hexagonal phase was observed for AlN layer thickness $>2\mathrm{nm}$. The rocksalt structure formed at small layer thicknesses since it provided lower AlN/TiN interfacial energy than the hexagonal or zinc-blende structures.