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Crystal orientation of GaN layers on (10 1 0) m ‐plane sapphire
Author(s) -
Frentrup Martin,
Ploch Simon,
Pristovsek Markus,
Kneissl Michael
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
physica status solidi (b)
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.51
H-Index - 109
eISSN - 1521-3951
pISSN - 0370-1972
DOI - 10.1002/pssb.201046489
Subject(s) - bar (unit) , sapphire , materials science , nucleation , crystallography , gallium nitride , diffraction , epitaxy , crystal (programming language) , nitride , crystal twinning , gallium , plane (geometry) , orientation (vector space) , condensed matter physics , optics , geometry , composite material , physics , layer (electronics) , chemistry , metallurgy , microstructure , thermodynamics , laser , meteorology , computer science , programming language , mathematics
Based on the atomic arrangement of the $(10{\bar {1}}0)$ m ‐plane sapphire surface, we have developed a model for the initial nucleation process of gallium‐nitride (GaN). This model describes why $(11{\bar {2}}2)$ and $(10{\bar {1}}{\bar {3}})$ are the preferred orientations of GaN on the $(10{\bar {1}}0)$ sapphire. The experimental results from high‐resolution X‐ray diffraction measurements, like the crystallographic relations and the twinning of the $(1{\bar {1}}0{\bar {3}})$ orientation are explained by the model too. Our model also predicts that $(11{\bar {2}}2)$ thin films are metal‐polar and $(1{\bar {1}}0{\bar {3}})$ thin films are nitrogen‐polar.