Morphology of luminescent GaN films grown by molecular beam epitaxy

GaN thin films were grown by molecular beam epitaxy on sapphire substrates. Scanning electron (SE) and atomic force microscopies reveal that on a typical film an assembly of oriented hexagonal microcrystallites rises above a background of polycrystalline or amorphous material. Cathodoluminescence (CL) spectra of the films feature bright UV exciton peaks and a broad green emission band. We identify the exciton peaks as those of the wurtzite form of GaN. A comparison of SE and CL micrographs of the same sample area shows that the luminescence emanates almost entirely from the hexagonal crystallites.