Micro-x-ray absorption near-edge structure imaging for detecting metallic Mn in GaN

In this study, we report the application of a synchrotron radiation microprobe to the analysis of Mn valencies in GaN. X-ray absorption near-edge structure (XANES) images taken around MnK-edge in fluorescence detection mode reveal the concentration of oxidation states of Mn centers. By fitting the XANES curve for each point of the image, the distributions of the Mn0, Mn2+, and Mn3+ oxidation states are obtained. At low Mn concentrations, there is a homogeneous mixture of Mn2+ and Mn3+ centers, while at high Mn content strong spatial-dependent Mn0 and Mn2+ distributions characterize the XANES maps. In a supplementary way with respect to Mn2+, the Mn0 pattern suggests the presence of specific cluster-like features, indicating surface segregation of metallic Mn centers.