Growth and analysis of GaN nanowire on PZnO by different-gas flow

• Published in: Applied surface science 2012-06, Vol.258 (17), p.6590-6594
• Main Authors: Shekari, L., Hassan, H. Abu, Thahab, S.M., Ghazai, A.J., Hassan, Z.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Characterization; Condensed matter: electronic structure, electrical, magnetic, and optical properties; Condensed matter: structure, mechanical and thermal properties; Cross-disciplinary physics: materials science; rheology; Exact sciences and technology; GaN; Nanowires; Physics; Single crystal growth
• ISSN: 0169-4332; 1873-5584
• DOI: 10.1016/j.apsusc.2012.03.084

► This research introduces an easy and safe method to grow high quality GaN NWs, as without using NH3 gas. Using just Ar gas, makes the experiment more easier and safer which have never been done before. The obtained results are in agreement with experimental and other published data and also a cheap method to grow GaN NWs, but we achieved a good result as well. This is a new growth process to decrease the cost, complexity of growth of GaN NWs. ► GaN NWs are prepared by Thermal Evaporation method, which is believed to have never been done before using these variable gas flows. ► Instead of being easy, this is a controllable method to synthesize highly crystalline GaN NWs by thermal evaporation; by changing the flow of gas, amount of powder, and the duration of growth. In this research we have used an inexpensive method to fabricate highly crystalline GaN nanowires (NWs) on porous zinc oxide (PZnO) on Si (111) wafer by thermal evaporation using commercial GaN powder, either in argon (Ar) gas atmosphere or a combination of Ar and nitrogen (N2) gas atmosphere without any catalyst. Micro structural studies by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscope (TEM) measurements reveal the role of different gas flowing, in the nucleation and alignment of the GaN NWs. The GaN NWs different diameters ranging between 50 and 200nm for the NWs grown under flow of mix gases, but the NWs which were grown under Ar gas only, have uniform diameter of around 50–60nm, also their lengths are almost the same (around 10μm). Further structural and optical characterizations were performed using high resolution X-ray diffraction (HR-XRD), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) and photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy. Results indicated that the NWs are of single-crystal hexagonal GaN with [0001] and [1 0 1¯ 1] growth directions for NWs grown under Ar and mixed gas flow.