Skip to main content
Log in

Fabrication of heteroepitaxial thin films of layered oxychalcogenides LnCuOCh (Ln = La–Nd; Ch = S–Te) by reactive solid-phase epitaxy

  • Articles
  • Published:
Journal of Materials Research Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Processes and preparation conditions for growing epitaxial thin films of Cu-based, layered oxychalcogenides LnCuOCh (Ln = La, Ce, Pr or Nd; Ch = S1-xSex or Se1-yTey) are reported. Epitaxial thin films on MgO (001) substrates were prepared by a reactive solid-phase epitaxy method. Four-axes high-resolution x-ray diffraction measurements revealed that the crystallographic orientation is (001)[110] LnCuOCh (001)[110] MgO and the internal stress of the crystalline lattices in the films are relaxed during thermal-annealing process of the reactive solid-phase epitaxy. Furthermore, except for CeCuOS, systematic variations in the lattice constant by chalcogen or lanthanide ion substitutions were observed. These results demonstrated that the reactive solid-phase epitaxy is an efficient technique for fabricating LnCuOCh epitaxial films.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. S. Nakamura, T. Mukai, M. Senoh, and N. Iwasa: Thermal annealing effects on p-type Mg-doped GaN films. Jpn. J. Appl. Phys. 31, L139 (1992).

  2. I. Akasaki and H. Amano: Crystal growth and conductivity control of group III nitride semiconductors and their application to short wavelength light emitters. Jpn. J. Appl. Phys. 36, 5393 (1997).

  3. H. Kawazoe, M. Yasukawa, H. Hyodo, M. Kurita, H. Yanagi, and H. Hosono: P-type electrical conduction in transparent thin films of CuAlO2. Nature 389, 939 (1997).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. R.E. Stauber, J.D. Perkins, P.A. Parilla, and D.S. Ginley: Thin film growth of transparent p-type CuAlO2. Electrochem. Solid-State Lett. 2, 654 (1999).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. N. Duan, A.W. Sleight, M.K. Jayaraj, and J. Tate: Transparent p-type conducting CuScO2+x films. Appl. Phys. Lett. 77, 1325 (2000).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. R. Nagarajan, A.D. Draeseke, A.W. Sleight, and J. Tate: p-Type conductivity in CuCr1−xMgxO2 films and powders. J. Appl. Phys. 89, 8022 (2001).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. H. Yanagi, T. Hase, S. Ibuki, K. Ueda, and H. Hosono: Bipolarity in electrical conduction of transparent oxide semiconductor CuInO2 with delafossite structure. Appl. Phys. Lett. 78, 1583 (2001).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. H. Mizoguchi, M. Hirano, S. Fujitsu, T. Takeuchi, K. Ueda, and H. Hosono: ZnRh2O4: A p-type semiconducting oxide with a valence band composed of a low-spin state of Rh3+ in a 4d6 configuration. Appl. Phys. Lett. 80, 1207 (2002).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. X. Nie, S-H. Wei, and S.B. Zhang: Bipolar doping and band-gap anomalies in delafossite transparent conductive oxides. Phys. Rev. Lett. 88, 066405 (2002).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. K. Ueda, S. Inoue, S. Hirose, H. Kawazoe, and H. Hosono: Transparent p-type semiconductor: LaCuOS layered oxysulfide. Appl. Phys. Lett. 77, 2701 (2000).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. K. Ueda, S. Inoue, H. Hosono, N. Sarukura, and M. Hirano: Room-temperature excitons in wide-gap layered-oxysulfide semiconductor: LaCuOS. Appl. Phys. Lett. 78, 2333 (2001).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. K. Ueda and H. Hosono: Band gap engineering, band edge emission, and p-type conductivity in wide-gap LaCuOS1−xSex oxychalcogenides. J. Appl. Phys. 91, 4768 (2002).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. K. Ueda, K. Takafuji, H. Hiramatsu, H. Ohta, T. Kamiya, M. Hirano, and H. Hosono: Electrical and optical properties and electronic structures of LnCuOS (Ln = La—Nd). Chem. Mater. 15, 3692 (2003).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. M. Palazzi: Préparation et affinement de la structure de (LaO)CuS. C. R. Acad. Sc. Paris. 292, 789 (1981).

  15. W.J. Zhu, Y.Z. Huang, C. Dong, and Z.X. Zhao: Synthesis and crystal structure of new rare-earth copper oxyselenides: RCuSeO (R = La, Sm, Gd and Y). Mater. Res. Bull. 29, 143 (1994).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. B.A. Popovkin, A.M. Kusainova, V.A. Dolgikh, and L.G. Aksel’rud: New layered phases of the MOCuX (M = Ln, Bi; X = S, Se, Te) family: A geometric approach to the explanation of phase stability. Russ. J. Inorg. Chem. 43, 1471 (1998).

    Google Scholar 

  17. D.O. Charkin, A.V. Akopyan, and V.A. Dolgikh: New mixed rare-earth copper oxochalcogenides with a LaOAgS-type structure. Russ. J. Inorg. Chem. 44, 833 (1999).

    Google Scholar 

  18. K. Ueda and H. Hosono: Crystal structure of LaCuOS 1−xSex oxychalcogenides. Thin Solid Films 411, 115 (2002).

  19. S. Inoue, K. Ueda, H. Hosono, and N. Hamada: Electronic structure of the transparent p-type semiconductor (LaO)CuS. Phys. Rev. B 64, 245211 (2001).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  20. K. Ishikawa, S. Kinoshita, Y. Suzuki, S. Matsuura, T. Nakanishi, M. Aizawa, and Y. Suzuki: Preparation and electrical properties of (LaO)AgS and (LnO)CuS (Ln = La, Pr, or Nd). J. Electrochem. Soc. 138, 1166 (1991).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. T. Ohtani, M. Hirose, T. Sato, K. Nagaoka, and M. Iwabe: Synthesis and some physical properties of new series of layered selenides (LnO)CuSe (Ln = Lanthanides). Jpn. J. Appl. Phys. 32 (Suppl. 32-3), 316 (1993).

  22. Y. Takano, K. Yahagi, and K. Sekizawa: The new conductive oxysulfides [(La1−xSrx)O]CuS containing a Cu-layer. Physica B 206 & 207, 764 (1995).

  23. H. Hiramatsu, M. Orita, M. Hirano, K. Ueda, and H. Hosono: Electrical conductivity control in transparent p-type (LaO)CuS thin films prepared by rf sputtering. J. Appl. Phys. 91, 9177 (2002).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  24. H. Hiramatsu, K. Ueda, H. Ohta, M. Orita, M. Hirano, and H. Hosono: Preparation of transparent p-type (La1−xSrxO)CuS thin films by r.f. sputtering technique. Thin Solid Films 411, 125 (2002).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  25. K. Takase, M. Koyano, T. Shimizu, K. Makihara, Y. Takahashi, Y. Takano, and K. Sekizawa: Electrical resistivity and photoluminescence spectrum of layered oxysulfide (LaO)CuS. Solid State Commun. 123, 531 (2002).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  26. H. Yanagi, S. Park, A.D. Draeseke, D.A. Keszler, and J. Tate: P-type conductivity in transparent oxides and sulfide fluorides. J. Solid State Chem. 175, 34 (2003).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  27. H. Yanagi, J. Tate, S. Park, C-H. Park, and D.A. Keszler: p-Type conductivity in wide-band-gap BaCuQF (Q = S, Se). Appl. Phys. Lett. 82, 2814 (2003).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  28. H. Ohta, K. Nomura, M. Orita, M. Hirano, K. Ueda, T. Suzuki, Y. Ikuhara, and H. Hosono: Single-crystalline films of the homologous series InGaO3(ZnO)m grown by reactive solid-phase epitaxy. Adv. Funct. Mater. 13, 139 (2003).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  29. K. Nomura, H. Ohta, K. Ueda, M. Orita, M. Hirano, and H. Hosono: Novel film growth technique of single crystalline In2O3(ZnO)m (m = integer) homologous compound. Thin Solid Films 411, 147 (2002).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  30. H. Hiramatsu, K. Ueda, H. Ohta, M. Orita, M. Hirano, and H. Hosono: Heteroepitaxial growth of a wide-gap p-type semiconductor, LaCuOS. Appl. Phys. Lett. 81, 598 (2002).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  31. H. Hiramatsu, H. Ohta, T. Suzuki, C. Honjo, Y. Ikuhara, K. Ueda, T. Kamiya, M. Hirano, and H. Hosono: Mechanism for heteroepitaxial growth of transparent p-type semiconductor: LaCuOS by reactive solid-phase epitaxy. Cryst. Growth Des. 4, 301 (2004).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  32. K. Ueda, K. Takafuji, and H. Hosono: Preparation and crystal structure analysis of CeCuOS. J. Solid State Chem. 170, 182 (2003).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  33. H. Hiramatsu, K. Ueda, H. Ohta, M. Hirano, T. Kamiya, and H. Hosono: Degenerate p-type conductivity in wide-gap LaCuOS1−xSex (x = 0−1) epitaxial films. Appl. Phys. Lett. 82, 1048 (2003).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  34. H. Hiramatsu, K. Ueda, K. Takafuji, H. Ohta, M. Hirano, T. Kamiya, and H. Hosono: Intrinsic excitonic photoluminescence and band-gap engineering of wide-gap p-type oxychalcogenide epitaxial films of LnCuOCh (Ln = La, Pr, and Nd; Ch = S or Se) semiconductor alloys. J. Appl. Phys. 94, 5805 (2003).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  35. H. Hiramatsu, K. Ueda, H. Ohta, M. Hirano, T. Kamiya, and H. Hosono: Wide gap p-type degenerate semiconductor: Mgdoped LaCuOSe. Thin Solid Films 445, 304 (2003).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  36. H. Kamioka, H. Hiramatsu, H. Ohta, M. Hirano, K. Ueda, T. Kamiya, and H. Hosono: Third-order optical nonlinearity originating from room-temperature exciton in layered compounds LaCuOS and LaCuOSe. Appl. Phys. Lett. 84, 879 (2004).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  37. K. Ueda, H. Hiramatsu, H. Ohta, M. Hirano, T. Kamiya, and H. Hosono: Single-atomic-layered quantum wells built in widegap semiconductors LnCuOCh (Ln = lanthanide, Ch = chalcogen). Phys. Rev. B 69, 155305 (2004).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  38. H. Hiramatsu, K. Ueda, K. Takafuji, H. Ohta, M. Hirano, T. Kamiya, and H. Hosono: Degenerate electrical conductive and excitonic photoluminescence properties of epitaxial films of wide gap p-type layered oxychalcogenides, LnCuOCh (Ln = La, Pr and Nd; Ch = S or Se). Appl. Phys. A (in press).

  39. H. Hiramatsu, H. Ohta, M. Hirano, and H. Hosono: Heteroepitaxial growth of single-phase zinc blende ZnS films on transparent substrates by pulsed laser deposition under H2S atmosphere. Solid State Commun. 124, 411 (2002).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  40. K. Nomura, H. Ohta, K. Ueda, T. Kamiya, M. Orita, M. Hirano, T. Suzuki, C. Honjo, Y. Ikuhara, and H. Hosono: Growth mechanism for single-crystalline thin film of InGaO3(ZnO)5 by reactive solid-phase epitaxy. J. Appl. Phys. 95, 5532 (2004).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  41. H. Ohta, H. Mizoguchi, M. Hirano, S. Narushima, T. Kamiya, and H. Hosono: Fabrication and characterization of heteroepitaxial p-n junction diode composed of wide-gap oxide semiconductors p-ZnRh2O4/n-ZnO. Appl. Phys. Lett. 82, 823 (2003).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  42. R.D. Shannon: Revised effective ionic radii and systematic studies of interatomic distances in halides and chalcogenides. Acta Crystallogr. A 32, 751 (1976).

  43. H. Hiramatsu, K. Ueda, K. Takafuji, H. Ohta, M. Hirano, T. Kamiya, and H. Hosono: Heteroepitaxial growth of wide gap p-type semiconductors: LnCuOCh (Ln = La, Pr and Nd; Ch = S or Se) by reactive solid-phase epitaxy. Appl. Phys. A (in press).

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Hidenori Hiramatsu.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Hiramatsu, H., Ueda, K., Takafuji, K. et al. Fabrication of heteroepitaxial thin films of layered oxychalcogenides LnCuOCh (Ln = La–Nd; Ch = S–Te) by reactive solid-phase epitaxy. Journal of Materials Research 19, 2137–2143 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1557/JMR.2004.0273

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1557/JMR.2004.0273

Navigation