Growth of thick and flat high quality GaN using nano-column compliant layers

This research will primarily develop a novel technique to grow a high volume of high quality gallium nitride for use in optoelectronic, microelectronic and biomedical devices. It is currently very difficult to produce large single crystal gallium nitride due to the high pressures and temperatures required, and this is inhibiting the wide uptake of this disruptive material technology. Instead, the technique involved in this proposal uses a high density of minature columns with dimensions on the nano-scale to initiate the chemical growth of a large crystal from a crystal of another material that has a different crystal structure. The columns reduce the problems associated with the different crystal structures and has the potential to produce high quality gallium nitride at relatively low cost.The research will determine the optimum column size and the best conditions for the crystal growth by theoretical modelling and experimentation. Three different complementary growth techniques at the universities of Nottingham and Bath will be used, and the advanced characterisation techniques and expertise at Bristol University will provide essential feedback and understanding of the nanostructures to the growth personnel.