The use of HI-ERDA/RBS and NRA/RBS to depth profile N in GaAs1−xNx thin films

N profiles of several GaAs1−xNx epitaxial layers with different N mole fractions in the range 0 < x < 0.14 were obtained by using (1) heavy-ion elastic recoil detection analysis (HI-ERDA) along with Rutherford backscattering spectrometry (RBS) using a 35 MeV Si6+ beam, and (2) nuclear reaction analysis (NRA) with the 14N(α, p)17O reaction, also with RBS, using a 3.7 MeV 4He+ beam. The results from the two techniques are compared and the advantages, disadvantages and capabilities are discussed.