Pyramidal defects in Mg-doped GaN in light of strain-energy minimization

Abstract

The planar segregation gives rise to stress and strain fields which are approximated by a uniaxial character in a displacement controlled system. In this condition, the elastic strain energy is proportional to Young’s modulus. Young’s modulus of GaN is minimized when the directions normal to a conical segregation surface make about 48° with the c-axis of hexagonal GaN, which is close to the angle 47.3° between the c-axis and the directions normal to the {112¯3} planes. This implies that the formation of pyramidal defects in magnesium-doped GaN can be a compromise between minimization of the elastic strain energy due to segregation of magnesium and the planar segregation.