title: Single domain m-plane ZnO grown on m-plane sapphire by radio frequency magnetron sputtering.
abstract: High-quality m-plane orientated ZnO films have been successfully grown on m-plane sapphire by using radio frequency magnetron sputtering deposition. The introduction of a nanometer-thick, low-temperature-grown ZnO buffer layer effectively eliminates inclusions of other undesirable orientations. The structure characteristics of the ZnO epi-layers were thoroughly studied by synchrotron X-ray scattering and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The in-plane epitaxial relationship between ZnO and sapphire follows (0002)(ZnO) [parallel] (112[overline]0)(sapphire) and (112[overline]0)(ZnO) [parallel] (0006)(sapphire) and the ZnO/sapphire interface structure can be described by the domain matching epitaxy along the [112[overline]0](ZnO) direction. The vibrational properties of the films were investigated by polarization dependent micro-Raman spectroscopy. Both XRD and micro-Raman results reveal that the obtained m-ZnO layers are under an anisotropic biaxial strain but still retains a hexagonal lattice.
authors.affiliation: Department of Photonics and Institute of Electro-Optical Engineering, National Chiao Tung University, Hsinchu 30010, Taiwan.
authors.forename: B H
authors.initials: BH
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: W-R
authors.initials: WR
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: C Y
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: S T
authors.initials: ST
authors.lastname: Hsu
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: C C
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Kuo
authors.forename: C-H
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Hsu
authors.forename: W F
authors.initials: WF
authors.lastname: Hsieh
authors.forename: F S-S
authors.initials: FS
authors.lastname: Chien
authors.forename: C S
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Chang