GaN hexagonal pyramids formed by a photo-assisted chemical etching method

doi:10.1088/1674-1056/23/5/058101

Abstract A series of experiments were conducted to systematically study the effects of etching conditions on GaN by a convenient photo-assisted chemical (PAC) etching method. The solution concentration has an evident influence on the surface morphology of GaN and the optimal solution concentrations for GaN hexagonal pyramids have been identified. GaN with hexagonal pyramids have higher crystal quality and tensile strain relaxation compared with as-grown GaN. A detailed analysis about evolution of the size, density and optical property of GaN hexagonal pyramids is described as a function of light intensity. The intensity of photoluminescence spectra of GaN etched with hexagonal pyramids significantly increases compared to that of as-grown GaN due to multiple scattering events, high quality GaN with pyramids and the Bragg effect.

Keywords: hexagonal pyramids GaN photo-assisted chemical etching

Received: 04 August 2013
Revised: 03 November 2013
Accepted manuscript online:

PACS:	81.05.Ea	(III-V semiconductors)
	68.65.-k	(Low-dimensional, mesoscopic, nanoscale and other related systems: structure and nonelectronic properties)
	81.65.Cf	(Surface cleaning, etching, patterning)
	78.55.-m	(Photoluminescence, properties and materials)

Fund: Project supported by the National Basic Research Program of China (Grant Nos. 2011CB301900, 2012CB619304, and 2010CB327504), the National High Technology Research and Development Program of China (Grant No. 2011AA03A103), the National Nature Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 60990311, 60906025, 60936004, and 61176063), and the Natural Science Foundation of Jiangsu Province, China (Grant Nos. BK2011010 and BK2009255).

Corresponding Authors: Xiu Xiang-Qian, Zhang Rong
E-mail: xqxiu@nju.edu.cn;rzhang@nju.edu.cn

About author: 81.05.Ea; 68.65.-k; 81.65.Cf; 78.55.-m

Cite this article:

Zhang Shi-Ying (张士英), Xiu Xiang-Qian (修向前), Hua Xue-Mei (华雪梅), Xie Zi-Li (谢自力), Liu Bin (刘斌), Chen Peng (陈鹏), Han Ping (韩平), Lu Hai (陆海), Zhang Rong (张荣), Zheng You-Dou (郑有炓) GaN hexagonal pyramids formed by a photo-assisted chemical etching method 2014 Chin. Phys. B 23 058101

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