The exposure of Ge(111) to a nitrogen plasma at temperatures above which Ge3N4 is thermally stable leads to the formation of a thin, mono crystalline Ge3N4 layer. At these temperatures equilibrium is established between the formation and dissociation of Ge3N4, limiting its thickness to 0.7 nm at ~800 °C. The thermal stability of a crystalline Ge3N4 layer is comparable to an amorphous one: it starts to evaporate at temperatures above 600 °C. Crystalline Ge3N4 allows the growth of III-nitrides on top of Ge(111) substrates and possibly the passivation of Ge-based field effect transistors.
Lieten, R, Degroote, S, Kuijk, M & Borghs, G 2007, 'Crystalline Ge3N4 on Ge(111)', Applied Physics Letters, vol. 91, pp. 1-3. <http://link.aip.org/link/?APL/91/222110>
Lieten, R., Degroote, S., Kuijk, M., & Borghs, G. (2007). Crystalline Ge3N4 on Ge(111). Applied Physics Letters, 91, 1-3. http://link.aip.org/link/?APL/91/222110
@article{423193c595674607847a53807636b3e8,
title = "Crystalline Ge3N4 on Ge(111)",
abstract = "The exposure of Ge(111) to a nitrogen plasma at temperatures above which Ge3N4 is thermally stable leads to the formation of a thin, mono crystalline Ge3N4 layer. At these temperatures equilibrium is established between the formation and dissociation of Ge3N4, limiting its thickness to 0.7 nm at ~800 °C. The thermal stability of a crystalline Ge3N4 layer is comparable to an amorphous one: it starts to evaporate at temperatures above 600 °C. Crystalline Ge3N4 allows the growth of III-nitrides on top of Ge(111) substrates and possibly the passivation of Ge-based field effect transistors.",
keywords = "Germanium Nitride, Ge3N4, Germanium, Ge, Ge(111), Gallium Nitride, GaN",
author = "Ruben Lieten and Stefan Degroote and Maarten Kuijk and Gustaaf Borghs",
year = "2007",
month = nov,
day = "26",
language = "English",
volume = "91",
pages = "1--3",
journal = "Applied Physics Letters",
issn = "0003-6951",
publisher = "American Institute of Physics Publising LLC",
}