Energy band bowing parameter in AlxGa1−xN alloys

Abstract

Molecular-beam epitaxy grown AlxGa1−xN alloys covering the entire range of alloy compositions, 0⩽x⩽1, have been used to determine the alloy band gap dependence on its composition. The Al chemical composition was deduced from secondary ion mass spectroscopy and Rutherford backscattering. The composition was also inferred from x-ray diffraction. The band gap of the alloy was extracted from low temperature optical reflectance measurements which are relatively more accurate than photoluminescence. Fitting of the band gap data resulted in a bowing parameter of b=1.0 eV over the entire composition range. The improved accuracy of the composition and band gap determination and the largest range of the Al composition over which our study has been conducted increase our confidence in this bowing parameter.