The electronic structure, chemical bonding, and interface component in ZrN-AlN nanocomposites formed by phase separation during thin film deposition of metastable $\mathrm{Z}{\mathrm{r}}_{1-x}\mathrm{A}{\mathrm{l}}_x\mathrm{N}(x=0.0$, 0.12, 0.26, 0.40) are investigated by resonant inelastic x-ray scattering, x-ray emission, and x-ray absorption spectroscopy and compared to first principles calculations including transitions between orbital angular momentum final states. The experimental spectra are compared with different interface-slab model systems using first principles all-electron full-potential calculations where the core states are treated fully relativistically. As shown in this work, the bulk sensitivity and element selectivity of x-ray spectroscopy enables one to probe the symmetry and orbital directions at interfaces between cubic and hexagonal crystals. We show how the electronic structure develops from local octahedral bond symmetry of cubic ZrN that distorts for increasing Al content into more complex bonding. This results in three different kinds of bonding originating from semicoherent interfaces with segregated ZrN and lamellar AlN nanocrystalline precipitates. An increasing chemical shift and charge transfer between the elements takes place with increasing Al content and affects the bond strength and increases resistivity.

• Received 9 November 2019
• Accepted 20 February 2020

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevResearch.2.013328

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Published by the American Physical Society