Extended x-ray absorption fine structure in Ga1−xMnxN/SiC films with high Mn content

In this study, the local atomic structure of highly homogeneous Ga1−xMnxN alloy films (0.03 < x < 0.09) is analyzed by means of Mn and Ga K-edge extended x-ray absorption fine structure measurements. From the curve fitting, the structural parameters corresponding to the first two atomic shells surrounding both Ga and Mn atoms are reported. In the Ga1−xMnxN films, grown by molecular beam epitaxy, the Mn atoms are in tetrahedral configuration, independent of the Mn concentration; that is, they are in a substitutional site, MnGa, in the wurtzite structure. A small increase in the interatomic distances has been found with increasing Mn content. The Debye-Waller factor does not show a significant trend as Mn content increases, which suggests the presence of short-range disorder in the GaN lattice. Ab initio calculations of the structural parameter for two different Mn concentrations are consistent with the experimental results.