ACTA

Positron Structural Analysis of ScN Films Deposited on MgO Substrate

J. More-Chevalier^a, L. Horák^b, S. Cichoň^a, P. Hruška^{a, b}, J. Čížek^b, M.O. Liedke^c, M. Butterling^c, A. Wagner^c, J. Bulíř^a, P. Hubík^a, Z. Gedeonová^a, J. Lančok^a
^aInstitute of Physics of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Na Slovance 2, 18221 Praha 8, Czechia
^bCharles University, Faculty of Mathematics and Physics, V Holesovickach 2, 180 00 Praha 8, Czechia
^cHelmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf, Institute of Radiation Physics, Bautzner Landstr. 400, 01328 Dresden, Germany

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Scandium nitride (ScN) is a semiconductor with a rocksalt-structure that has attracted attention for its potential applications in thermoelectric energy conversion devices, as a semiconducting component in epitaxial metal/semiconductor superlattices. Two ScN films of 118 nm and 950 nm thicknesses were deposited at the same conditions on MgO (001) substrate by reactive magnetron sputtering. Poly-orientation of films was observed with first an epitaxial growth on MgO and then a change in the orientation growth due to the decrease of the adatom mobility during the film growth. Positron lifetime measurements showed a high concentration of nitrogen vacancies in both films with a slightly higher concentration for the thicker ScN film. Presence of nitrogen vacancies explains the values of direct band gaps of 2.53±0.01 eV, and 2.56±0.01 eV which has been measured on ScN films of 118 nm and 950 nm thicknesses, respectively.

DOI:10.12693/APhysPolA.137.209
PACS numbers: 78.70.Bj, 41.75.Fr, 77.84.Bw