We studied the nucleation and growth of hexagonal BN (h-BN) on AlN template on c-plane sapphire by metalorganic vapor phase epitaxy as functions of growth temperature, deposition time, and triethylboron (TEB) partial pressure. A lateral growth rate of about 25 nm min−1 for h-BN nuclei was obtained by atomic force microscopy and a nucleation activation energy of 2.1 eV was extracted from the temperature dependence of the nucleation density. A large TEB flow rate strongly enhances the formation of h-BN nuclei. At a reduced TEB flow rate, we observed a significantly decreased nuclei density and a delay in nucleation due to TEB desorption. By fine tuning the growth parameters, single-crystalline multilayer h-BN was successfully formed on AlN surface, as confirmed by x-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The epitaxial relationship between h-BN and AlN was [0 0 0 1]h-BN || [0 0 0 1]AlN and [1 0   −1 0]h-BN || [1 1   −2 0]AlN from TEM and electron backscatter diffraction measurements. In addition, TEM showed that the initial h-BN layers are not parallel and tend to form half-domes. On those half-domes (cap-shaped-like) a 2D lateral growth sets on, resulting in a well-oriented 2D multilayer observed in TEM. Thus, the surface topography further develops to form a relatively flat surface without wrinkles and finally a typical hexagon-like wrinkled surface at thicker h-BN layers. Particularly, the small h-BN nuclei have dangling bonds at their periphery that can interact with the substrate, forming actual bonds with AlN. Hence the choice on the substrate is important, despite the basal planes of multilayer h-BN are bonded by a weak van der Waals force.

An approach to simultaneously grow independent core‐shell structures emitting at different wavelengths by selective area epitaxy is presented. By using seeds of different sizes, the monolithic integration of various GaN crystals including elongated nano‐rods (NRs), micro‐platelets (MPs), and a range of pyramid‐like structures are demonstrated. Dominant non‐polar sidewalls cover more than 75% of the surface area of the NRs, while the polar top facet are about 80% of the total surface of the MPs. InGaN/GaN quantum wells (QWs) deposited on these structures exhibit independent and well‐separated emissions in the green–blue and orange–red ranges, respectively. The pyramid‐like structures at intermediate seed sizes are more complex with semi‐polar facets nearly totaling 60% of the total surface area, resulting in yellow luminescence strongly broadened by the nearby facets contributions. These results suggest the total surface area of each facets and the resulting optical properties of the crystals can be tailored by adjusting the size of the seeds. However, further improvements are required to locally enhance the vertical, pyramidal, and lateral growth of the GaN cores and increase the spectral purity of the different QWs. The approach presented is of interest to design multi‐wavelength devices which requires independent subpixels of high color purity.

We demonstrated the formation of excellent 1 Ohmic contact to p-type GaN (including the plasma 2 etching-damaged p-type GaN which otherwise exhibited 3 undetectable current within ±5V) by the post-growth 4 diffusion of magnesium. The specific contact resistivity 5 on the order of 10 -4 Ω.cm 2 (extracted at V=0V) was 6 achieved on the plasma-damaged p-GaN with linear 7 current-voltage characteristics by the transfer length 8 method (TLM) measurement. The improvement in current 9 by a factor of over 10 9 was also obtained on the plasma-10 damaged p-n junction diode after the same Mg-treatment.

We demonstrate high, up to 30% In content InGaN sub-micrometer platelets on GaN by metalorganic vapor phase epitaxy. These InGaN platelets were selectively grown on flat GaN seeds formed in sub-micrometer-scale openings in a SiNx mask. The platelets were highly uniform without any dislocations or pits, with an atomically flat (0001) surface. The typical height was ∼120 nm, which significantly exceeded the normal critical layer thickness of a c-plane InGaN film. The strain state was comprehensively characterized by microbeam x-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy. Due to a gradual elastic relaxation of strain, the In content increased almost linearly from bottom to top because of the strong strain-dependent In incorporation. These platelets can serve as high-quality strain-relaxed templates for long wavelength micro-light-emitting diodes.

We have demonstrated non-polar GaN power diodes (Schottky barrier diode and p–n junction diode) on foreign substrates featuring the true-lateral p–n and metal–semiconductor junctions. The diodes were fabricated on GaN islands laterally overgrown on the mask-patterned sapphire and Si substrates by metalorganic vapor phase epitaxy. The anode and cathode were formed on the opposed a-plane sidewalls of the island, making the device architecture essentially like the 90° rotation of the desired true-vertical power diodes. The ideality factor of the Schottky barrier diode remained 1.0 (from 1.00 to 1.05) over 7 decades in current. Specifically, a high critical electric field of 3.3 MV/cm was demonstrated on the p–n junction diode with avalanche capability. These performances reveal a strong potential of non-polar GaN with the true-lateral junctions for high power applications.