A Feasibility Study on the Growth of Bulk GaN Single Crystals.

The III-V semiconducting phosphides, arsenides and antimonides have been extensively investigated in recent years both with regard to single crystal growth and property evaluation. Relatively high quality material in the form of large single crystals and epitaxial layers can be routinely produced, and many of these materials have found use in device applications. The group III nitrides, on the other hand, have received little attention by comparison and techniques have not been sufficiently developed for the production of either adequate quality bulk single crystals or epitaxial layers. Of the group III nitrides, GaN is of particular interest because it has a wide, direct bandgap 3.4 eV at 300 K and is potentially useful as an electroluminescent material and injection laser. The possibility of extending the laser frequency with this material further into the visible into the blue-green region is very attractive for a number of underwater applications. Author