Thermally Desorbable InN Capping Layers for Nitride Surface Science
Abstract
Group III-nitride thin films are essential for optoelectronic and power devices, where surface and interface quality critically influence performance. It is often necessary to transfer these films through atmosphere for processing or characterization steps, which can introduce significant surface contamination. Here we demonstrate a technique to protect the surface of III-N films during atmospheric exposure by capping with sacrificial InN layers. Using molecular beam epitaxy grown AlGaN films as our representative protected material, we take advantage of the lower decomposition and desorption temperatures of InN and metallic In to remove the protective cap layer in situ via thermal desorption without damaging the AlGaN film beneath. Angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy (ARPES) measurements of the valence band dispersion in Al0.4Ga0.6N demonstrate that the film surface is recovered after InN decapping, highlighting the versatility of this process in allowing further surface-sensitive characterization of films that had been exposed to air.
Related
- Below the Surface: Creep, Corrosion, and Tipping Points in the Social Resilience of Science
- Strontium Titanate Capping Layers as Kinetic Regulators of Redox Phase Transitions in Oxide Heterostructures
- Thin-capping layer epitaxial quantum dots for near-field quantum photonics
- Thermally assisted ultrafast damage in femtosecond laser mirrors
- Infrared Photothermal Heterodyne Imaging in Thermally Thick Medium for Thermo-optic Property Characterizations
BibTeX
@misc{lemon2026thermally,
title = {{Thermally Desorbable InN Capping Layers for Nitride Surface Science}},
author = {Mellie Lemon and Amitayush Thakur and Anthony Rice and Glenn Teeter and Michelle Smeaton and Renae Gannon and Jessica L. McChesney and M. Brooks Tellekamp},
howpublished = {arXiv},
year = {2026},
month = sep,
doi = {10.48550/arxiv.2609.18573},
eprint = {2609.18573},
archivePrefix = {arXiv},
url = {https://arxiv.org/abs/2609.18573},
}
RIS
TY - UNPB
TI - Thermally Desorbable InN Capping Layers for Nitride Surface Science
AU - Mellie Lemon
AU - Amitayush Thakur
AU - Anthony Rice
AU - Glenn Teeter
AU - Michelle Smeaton
AU - Renae Gannon
AU - Jessica L. McChesney
AU - M. Brooks Tellekamp
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/09/16
PB - arXiv
DO - 10.48550/arxiv.2609.18573
UR - https://arxiv.org/abs/2609.18573
AB - Group III-nitride thin films are essential for optoelectronic and power devices, where surface and interface quality critically influence performance. It is often necessary to transfer these films through atmosphere for processing or characterization steps, which can introduce significant surface contamination. Here we demonstrate a technique to protect the surface of III-N films during atmospheric exposure by capping with sacrificial InN layers. Using molecular beam epitaxy grown AlGaN films as our representative protected material, we take advantage of the lower decomposition and desorption temperatures of InN and metallic In to remove the protective cap layer in situ via thermal desorption without damaging the AlGaN film beneath. Angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy (ARPES) measurements of the valence band dispersion in Al0.4Ga0.6N demonstrate that the film surface is recovered after InN decapping, highlighting the versatility of this process in allowing further surface-sensitive characterization of films that had been exposed to air.
ER -