Structural properties of GaNAs nanowires probed by micro-Raman spectroscopy

GaNAs-based nanowires (NWs) form a novel material system of potential importance for applications in advanced optoelectronic and photonic devices, thanks to the advantages provided by band-structure engineering, one-dimensional architecture and the possibility to combine them with mainstream silicon technology. In this work we utilize the micro-Raman scattering technique to systematically study the structural properties of such GaAs/GaNAs core/shell NW structures grown by molecular beam epitaxy on a Si substrate. It is shown that the employed one-dimensional architecture allows the fabrication of a GaNAs shell with a low degree of alloy disorder and weak residual strain, at least within the studied range of nitrogen (N) compositions [N] < 0.6%. Raman scattering by the GaAs-like and GaN-like phonons is found to be enhanced when the excitation energy approaches the E⁺ transition energy. Since this effect is found to be more pronounced for the GaN-like phonons, the involved intermediate states are concluded to be localized in proximity to N impurities, i.e. they likely represent N-related cluster states located in proximity to E⁺. (paper)