Growth and applications of HVPE-GaN nanorods

We demonstrate the properties of gallium nitride nanorods by hydride vapor phase epitaxy (HVPE). Single crystalline gallium nitride nanorods are formed on a sapphire substrate by HVPE. Single crystalline p-type and n-type gallium nitride nanorods have been grown and characterized by electrical transport measurements. HVPE was used to controllably introduce either magnesium or silicon dopants during the growth of the gallium nitride nanorods. The electron emission properties of gallium nitride nanorod array electron emitters were comparable with (or displayed even lower turn-on voltage than) those of carbon nanotubes. Wide-bandgap current rectifiers with high breakdown voltage (over −10 V) and near-ultraviolet p-n junction LEDs with emission wavelength of 390 nm, based on the single-rod gallium nitride p-n junction array, were obtained.