Published in Appl. Phys. Lett. 72, 2114 (1998).

Determination of Wurtzite GaN Lattice Polarity Based on Surface Reconstruction

A. R. Smith and R. M. Feenstra
Department of Physics, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213
D. W. Greve
Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213
M.-S. Shin and M. Skowronski
Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213
J. Neugebauer
Fritz-Haber-Institut der Max-Planck-Gesellschaft, Faradayweg 4-6, D-14195 Berlin, Germany
J. E. Northrup
Xerox Palo Alto Research Center, 3333 Coyote Hill Road, Palo Alto, California 94304

Abstract

We identify two categories of reconstructions occurring on wurtzite GaN surfaces, the first associated with the N-face, (000-1), and the second associated with the Ga-face, (0001). Not only do these two categories of reconstructions have completely different symmetries, but they also have different temperature dependence. It is thus demonstrated that surface reconstructions can be used to identify lattice polarity. Confirmation of the polarity assignment is provided by polarity-selective wet chemical etching of these surfaces.

Click here for preprint of paper, in pdf format.

Return to Home Page of Feenstra group