Synthesis of InNxP1-x thin films by N ion implantation

Dilute InNxP1-x alloy thin films were synthesized by nitrogen ion implantat ion into InP using doses corresponding to N mole fraction up to 0.048. In t he films with the highest N contents, it was shown using modulated photoref lectance that the fundamental band gap energy was decreased by up to 180 me V. The band gap reduction is similar in magnitude to that observed in epita xially grown III-NxV1-x alloys. The InNxP1-x layers were thermally stable u p to an annealing temperature of 850 degreesC. Using the recently developed band anticrossing model which relates the band gap reduction to the N cont ent, we estimate that the maximum mole fraction of N achieved in the InNxP1 -x alloys is larger than that reported previously for film grown by chemica l vapor deposition and exceeds 0.01. (C) 2001 American Institute of Physics .