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New Precursor Routes to Nanocrystalline Cubic/Hexagonal Gallium Nitride, GaN

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  10 February 2011

R. L. Wells
Affiliation:
Department of Chemistry, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708–0346
J. F. Janik
Affiliation:
Department of Chemistry, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708–0346 on leave from the University of Mining and Metallurgy, Krakow, Poland
W. L. Gladfelter
Affiliation:
Department of Chemistry, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455
J. L. Coffer
Affiliation:
Department of Chemistry, Texas Christian University, Ft. Worth, TX 76129
M. A. Johnsons
Affiliation:
Department of Chemistry, Texas Christian University, Ft. Worth, TX 76129
B. D. Steffey
Affiliation:
Department of Chemistry, Texas Christian University, Ft. Worth, TX 76129
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Abstract

Two precursor routes culminating in bulk nanocrystalline gallium nitride materials are reported, with emphasis on the materials' XRD/crystalline features and photoluminescence (PL). First, the new polymeric gallium imide, {Ga(NH)3/2}n, can be converted to nanocrystalline, cubic/hexagonal GaN ranging in color from yellow to light gray. Second, a new route to gallazane, [H2GaNH2]x, from the combination of LiGaH4 and NH4X (X = Cl, Br) in Et2O is shown to result in a material that slowly converts to a polymeric solid via H2 and NH3 elimination-condensation pathways. Both the gallazane and the polymeric solid are pyrolyzed to dark gray nanocrystalline, phase-inhomogeneous GaN as above. Specific variations in the pyrolysis conditions enable some control over the particle nanosize and a degree of crystalline phase-inhomogeneity of the materials. These nanophase GaN materials have also been characterized by room temperature photoluminescence (PL) measurements. In general, the observed emission spectra are strongly dependent on pyrolysis temperature and typically exhibit weak defect yellow-green emission. While the as-prepared GaN does not exhibit band-edge PL, a brief hydrofluoric acid etch yields nanophase GaN exhibiting an intense blue-emitting PL spectrum with an emission maximum near 420 nm.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 1997

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References

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