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Updated: Apr 23, 2026

In Situ Detection and Single Cell Quantification of Metal Oxide Nanoparticles Using Nuclear Microprobe Analysis
Published on: February 3, 2018
Simultaneous quantification of indium and nitrogen concentration in InGaNAs using HAADF-STEM
Tim Grieb1, Knut Müller1, Emmanuel Cadel2
11Institute of Solid State Physics,University of Bremen,Otto-Hahn-Allee 1,28359 Bremen,Germany.
Accurately measuring indium and nitrogen in InGaNAs requires combining strain and scattering data from high-angle annular dark-field scanning transmission electron microscopy (HAADF-STEM). This method reveals annealing effects, showing composition changes, not diffusion, influence emission shifts.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Nanotechnology
- Semiconductor Physics
Background:
- Indium Gallium Nitride Arsenide (InGaNAs) is crucial for optoelectronic devices.
- Accurate composition analysis of InGaNAs is challenging.
- Understanding the effects of post-growth annealing is vital for device performance.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop and validate a method for unambiguous determination of In and N concentrations in InGaNAs.
- To investigate the impact of As-stabilized annealing on InGaNAs/GaAs quantum wells.
- To elucidate the mechanism behind annealing-induced photoluminescence shifts.
Main Methods:
- High-resolution scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) with a high-angle annular dark-field (HAADF) detector.
- Analysis of strain state using elasticity theory and HAADF intensity.
- Comparison of experimental HAADF intensity with multislice simulations.
- Photoluminescence (PL) measurements to assess emission properties.
- Cross-validation with X-ray diffraction (XRD) and atom probe tomography (APT).
Main Results:
- A combined HAADF-STEM approach accurately determines InGaNAs composition.
- As-stabilized annealing induces a blue shift in PL emission wavelength.
- Chemical analysis rules out elemental diffusion as the cause of the blue shift.
- Results support a model of annealing-induced redistribution of atomic configurations.
Conclusions:
- HAADF-STEM provides a robust method for quantitative composition analysis in InGaNAs.
- Annealing effects in InGaNAs/GaAs are attributed to atomic rearrangement, not diffusion.
- This understanding is critical for optimizing InGaNAs-based optoelectronic devices.
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