| This project investigates the growth, optical, electronic, surface, magnetic and bulk properties of scandium gallium nitride on Sapphire(0001), manganese scandium nitride on MgO(001), heterostructures of cubic gallium nitride and scandium nitride on Mg(001), and chromium nitride on MgO(001) grown by radio frequency molecular beam epitaxy.;The growth of ScxGa1- xN films has been performed at a substrate temperature of 650°C. The diffraction and optical experiments confirm the existence of two main regimes of growth; for high Sc concentration (x ≥ 0.54), a rocksalt crystal structure is obtained. For low x ( x ≤ 0.17), a wurtzite-like crystal structure is observed with local lattice distortions at the sites where the Sc atoms incorporate substitutionally into the Ga sites.;The growth of MnxSc1- xN films, with x = 0.03-0.05, has been performed at a substrate temperature of ∼500°C. A rocksalt structure is observed for the MnxSc1-xN films. Magnetic measurements preformed on the Mn0.03Sc0.97 N film show ferromagnetic with a TC ∼ 50 K. As the manganese concentration is increased to x = 0.05, the ferromagnetism is reduced.;The growth of heterostructures c-GaN(001)/ScN(001)/MgO(001) and ScN(001)/c-GaN(001)/MgO(001) adopt a cubical symmetry of the MgO(001) substrate.;The zincblend c-GaN grown atop of ScN(001) shows a smoother surface (predominantly 2D growth) as compared to the rocksalt ScN(001) grown on atop of c-GaN(001).;The growth of stoichiometric CrN(001) films is performed at a substrate temperature of 450°C. A novel growth method of highly crystalline stoichiometric CrN(001) films has been proposed. The room temperature scanning tunneling microscopy together with resistivity versus temperature experiments reveal the electronic behavior of CrN(001) films to be metallic below T N ≃ 270 K, and semiconductor above TN. |
