Anions relative location in the group-V sublattice of GaAsSbN/GaAs epilayers: XAFS measurements and simulations

We investigated the local structure around N and Sb atoms in GaAsSbN/GaAs epilayers as a function of growth conditions and annealing time via soft and hard x-ray absorption spectroscopies in order to find out if short range ordering (SRO) in the group-V sublattice is present. SRO is one of the potential origins of the huge blueshift of the band gap observed upon annealing in these materials. By combining a Sb K- and L- and N K-edge x-ray absorption fine structure spectroscopy analysis, we demonstrate that neither strong Sb clustering nor preferential Sb-N association is possible, and that Sb atoms see a random number of N next nearest neighbors except for growth temperatures smaller than 400 degrees C, for which Sb-N neighbors in the type-V sublattice are in excess with respect to statistical disorder. On the other hand, the evolution of SRO around N anions (breaking of nitrogen pairs and randomization) can play a role in the annealing-induced band gap blueshift. Varying growth conditions and concentration modifies the band gap but, surprisingly, it does not affect the position of the conduction band minimum when Sb is incorporated.