Effect of ammoniating temperature on microstructure and optical properties of one-dimensional GaN nanowires doped with magnesium

One-dimensional GaN nanowires doped with Mg element have been successfully prepared on Si (1 1 1) substrates by magnetron sputtering through ammoniating Ga₂O₃/Mg thin films, and the effect of the ammoniating temperatures on the microstructure and optical properties of the GaN nanowires was investigated in detail. X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscope (XPS), FT-IR spectrophotometer, Scanning electron microscope (SEM), high-resolution transmission electron microscope (TEM), and photoluminescence (PL) spectrum were carried out to characterize the microstructure, morphology, and optical properties of GaN nanowires. The results demonstrate that ammoniating temperature has a significant effect on microstructure, morphology and optical properties of GaN nanowires. GaN nanowires after ammoniation at 900 °C for 15 min are straight, smooth and of uniform thickness along spindle direction with the highest crystalline quality. The growth direction of these nanowires is parallel to [1 0 0] orientation.