High-resolution X-ray photoemission spectroscopy study of AlN nano-columns grown by nitridation of Al nano-squares on Si(111) substrates with ammonia

The growth of AlN nano-columns by ammonium nitridation of Al nano-squares embedded in SiO2 on Si(111) substrates was studied by high-resolution X-ray photoemission spectroscopy from a synchrotron radiation source and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Selective nitridation of the Al nano-squares on the SiO2 mask was obtained in the temperature window of 600 °C–700 °C. The well-shaped AlN nano-column arrays with diameters confined by the lateral size of the Al nano-squares (~ 100 nm) were observed in SEM.