Structure Formation Processes and Phase Transitions in Metastable Mixed III/V Semiconductors and Heterostructures

• Applicant: Professorin Dr. Kerstin Volz
• Subject Area: Experimental Condensed Matter Physics
• Term: from 2002 to 2011
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 5469672

The present project deals with the fundamental structure formation processes in the bulk and at the heterointerfaces of the metastable material systems under investigation. The aim is to gain a profound understanding of the structure of the materials and of their heterostructures and to exploit the driving forces for the novel morphological phase transitions, which they undergo due to their metastability. The quantitative description of the structure and morphology can be correlated to novel electronic properties. This understanding will also lead to novel optimised device applications. In order to quantitatively examine the quaternary systems, the nanoanalytical techniques used will be developed further to suit the needs of simulating composition, structure and interface morphology of quaternary materials. The experimental methods applied focus on (high resolution) transmission electron microscopy including quantitative image simulation. Further techniques, which are necessary to achieve this goal, include high resolution X-ray diffraction as well as techniques of the nuclear solid state physics (Rutherford Backscattering Spectrometry, Nuclear Resonance Analysis, Channeling) for the investigation of the strain state, elemental composition and defects in the materials.

• DFG Programme: Research Units
• Subproject of: FOR 483: Metastable Compound Semiconductor Systems and Heterostructures