Catalyst-free growth of GaN nanowires

• DOI: 10.1007/s11664-006-0102-4
• Publication Date: 2007-04-16T09:52:02Z
• Authors: K. A. Bertness; N. A. Sanford; J. M. Barker; J. B. Schlager; A. Roshko; A. V. Davydov; I. Levin
• Keywords: 02 engineering and technology; 0210 nano-technology

We have grown GaN and AlGaN nanowires on Si (111) substrates with gassource molecular beam epitaxy (MBE). No metal catalysts were used. The nanowires displayed a number of interesting materials properties, including room-temperature luminescence intensity greater than that of free-standing HVPE-grown GaN, relaxed lattice parameters, and the tendency of nanowires dispersed in solvents to align in response to electric fields. The wires were well separated, 50–250 nm in diameter, and grew to lengths ranging from 2 µm to 7 µm. Transmission electron microscopy indicated that the wires were free of defects, unlike the surrounding matrix layer.