Surface and subsurface structures of porous GaN prepared by anodizing epitaxial GaN layers grown on SiC substrates are investigated by atomic-force microscopy. Comparison of the images of the porous GaN surfaces with those taken on planes cleft perpendicular to the surface shows that the pores are formed along the boundaries of columnar structures of the original GaN films. X-ray investigations show that the porous GaN has less residual stresses than the initial GaN epitaxial layers. Use of porous GaN as a buffer layer for growth of low-stress GaN is proposed.

This paper reports on novel approaches developed for plasma-assisted molecular beam epitaxy of Al-rich AlGaN epilayers and quantum well heterostructures on c-sapphire, which allowed us to fabricate low-threshold optically-pumped separate confinement heterostructure lasers emitting in the mid-UV spectral range (258-290 nm) with the threshold power density below 600 kW cm −2 . The optimum buffer structure has been developed which provides lowering the near-surface threading dislocation density down to 1.5 × 10 8 and 3 × 10 9 cm −2 for screw and edge types, respectively, and improving the surface morphology (rms < 0.7 nm at the area of 3 × 3 μm −2 ). It comprises the high-temperature (780 °C) migration enhanced epitaxy growth of a (30-70) nm thick AlN nucleation layer on c-Al 2 O 3 , followed by a 2 μm thick AlN buffer grown under the metal-rich conditions in the Al-flux modulation mode and containing several (up to 6) ultra-thin (∼3 nm) GaN interlayers grown at N-rich conditions. Proper strain engineering in AlGaN single quantum well heterostructure grown atop of the AlN buffer layer enables one to preserve dominant TE polarization of both spontaneous and stimulated emission even at shortest obtained wavelength (258 nm). The threshold power density of stimulated emission as low as 150 kW cm −2 at 289 nm for a single quantum well laser structure has been demonstrated.

We have studied epitaxial GaN layers grown by hydride vapour phase epitaxy (HVPE) on porous GaN sublayers formed on SiC substrates. It was shown that these layers can be grown with good surface morphology and high crystalline quality. X-ray, Raman and photoluminescent (PL) measurements showed that the stress in the layers grown on porous GaN was reduced to 0.1-0.2 GPa, while the stress in the layers grown directly on 6H-SiC substrates remains at its usual level of about 1 GPa. Thus, we have shown that growth on porous GaN sublayer is a promising method for fabrication of high quality epitaxial layers of GaN with low strain values.

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The dislocation structure of hydride vapor phase epitaxial thick GaN layers grown on sapphire is studied by analysis of the microdistortion tensor components. Symmetrical reflections (including reflections from planes forming a large angle with the basal plane) with two modes of scanning (θ and θ–2θ) in two geometries (Bragg and Laue) are used to obtain the tensor components. The instant connections between the tensor components and major dislocation types are specified. Different types of dislocation distributions have been identified in the thick GaN films grown on sapphire with and without undoped and Si-doped metalorganic chemical vapor deposited templates. Transmission electron microscopy was used to confirm the x-ray results by direct visualization of defect rearrangements.