Abstract
Elasto-plastic mechanical deformation behaviors of c-plane (0001) and nonpolar GaN single crystals are studied using nanoindentation, cathodoluminescence, and transmission electron microscopy. Nanoindentation tests show that c-plane GaN is less susceptible to plastic deformation and has higher hardness and Young's modulus than the nonpolar GaN. Cathodoluminescence and transmission electron microscopy characterizations of indent-induced plastic deformation reveal that there are two primary slip systems for the c-plane GaN, while there is only one most favorable slip system for the nonplane GaN. We suggest that the anisotropic elasto-plastic mechanical properties of GaN are relative to its anisotropic plastic deformation behavior.PACS: 62.20.fq; 81.05.Ea; 61.72.Lk.
Highlights
GaN-related III-nitride materials are attracting increasing attention for a wide range of device applications, such as light-emitting diodes [1], blue laser devices [2], and high electron mobility transistor [3]
The E and H of c-plane GaN are larger than that of the nonpolar GaN, and these anisotropic mechanical properties of GaN are independent of the tip geometry
In order to fully understand the deformation mechanism of c-plane GaN and nonpolar GaN under nanoindentation, the damages induced by conical tip were investigated by CL and XTEM
Summary
GaN-related III-nitride materials are attracting increasing attention for a wide range of device applications, such as light-emitting diodes [1], blue laser devices [2], and high electron mobility transistor [3]. The previous investigations in the elasto-plastic mechanical behaviors of GaN were mainly carried out on a c-plane GaN.
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