This letter presents a study on N-polar GaN growth evolution on sapphire using a low-temperature GaN buffer, which is distinctly different from the two-step growth of Ga-polar GaN according to both in situ reflectance and ex situ microscopy. Annealed N-polar GaN buffer exhibits densely packed tiny grains, serving as a template for the subsequent high-temperature GaN growth, which starts in a quasi-two-dimensional mode without any roughening-recovery process. Atomically smooth N-polar GaN has been achieved with no stacking fault or inversion domain observed. The mosaic microstructure, electrical, and optical properties of N-polar GaN are compared with those of Ga-polar GaN.

In this paper, we report a detailed study on the evolution of surface morphology and microstructure of nonpolar a-plane GaN (a-GaN) through controlled growth interruptions. Microscopy imaging shows that the two-step a-GaN growth went through a roughening-recovery process. The first-step growth (under high V/III and high pressure) produced a rough surface with tall mesas separated by voids. The second-step growth (under low V/III and low pressure) promoted the lateral growth and filled up the voids. Striations that formed during the island coalescence persisted throughout the second-step growth, but could be relieved by an additional third-step growth. The morphological evolution was explained according to the kinetic Wulff plots. The microstructure of the a-GaN films was investigated by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and x-ray rocking curve analysis. Most of the extended defects observed in the plan-view TEM images were I1 type basal-plane stacking faults (BSFs) and their associated partial dislocations (PDs). It is found that the bending of PDs (at the inclined/vertical growth fronts) within the basal plane toward the m-axes was responsible for the substantial reduction in threading PDs and the increase in BSF dimension. Based on a careful correlation between the morphological evolution and the microstructure development, we proposed a model explaining the possible mechanisms for the great reduction in defect density during the two-step growth process.

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The authors have demonstrated an effective method to obtain high light output power of GaN-based light-emitting diodes (LEDs) by simultaneous enhancement of internal quantum efficiency and light extraction efficiency. Micropit InGaN∕GaN LEDs were fabricated on hexagonal-shaped GaN template through wet-etched substrate patterning. The result indicated that under optimized growth condition of high temperature GaN template, micropits could be formed and distributed in an aligned manner by growing on wet-etch patterned sapphire substrate. The LED structures showed superior optical output power, which directly resulted from not only effective elimination of threading dislocation of the epitaxial layers but also significant increase in light extraction efficiency via the inclined facets of aligned micropits.

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We report the reduction in basal-plane stacking faults (BSFs) in m-plane GaN grown on m-plane SiC. The origin of BSFs is linked to heteronucleation of m-plane GaN and the presence of N-face basal-plane sidewalls of three-dimensional islands. Graded AlGaN layers help to alleviate mismatched nucleation and the generation of BSFs. Transmission electron microscopy shows that the density of BSFs is decreased to the low 105cm−1. Anisotropy in on-axis x-ray rocking curves, a salient feature in m-plane GaN heteroepitaxial layers, is greatly reduced. A possible mechanism of BSF generation, and the demonstration of improved InGaN∕GaN quantum well emission are presented.