III-Nitride Semiconductor Materials
Written by renowned experts, this valuable resource covers the most important topics and achievements in recent years, discusses progress made by different groups, and suggests future directions.
TABLE OF CONTENTS III-Nitride Semiconductor Materials
Chapter 11: III-Nitrides Micro-and Nano-Structures
Hock M. Ng and Aref Chowdhury
Bell Laboratories, Lucent Technologies
600 Mountain Avenue, Murray Hill, NJ 07974, U.S.A.
E-mail: hmng@lucent.com
Nanotechnology applied to the realm of compound semiconductors can result in novel physics as well as interesting applications, particularly in the field of optoelectronics. In this chapter, we will review the current status of III-nitrides (GaN, InN, AlN, and related alloys) micro-and nanostructures. These structures can be formed either during the growth process or post-growth stage using dry or wet etching techniques. The polarity of GaN, whether Ga-or N-polar, plays a major role in the behavior of the material when subjected to a chemical etchant. Certain chemical etchants have been shown to be selective towards one polarity of GaN but not the other. This selectivity can be exploited as a means to form interesting microstructures. Examples of applications for III-nitride micro-and nanostructures will also be discussed.
1. Introduction and Overview
Nanotechnology applied to semiconductors can be divided into nanomaterials - the synthesis of structures possessing nanoscale dimensions and nanophotonics - the interaction of light with nanostructures having dimensions comparable to or smaller than the wavelength of light in the medium. The ability to control the dimensions of semiconductor materials at the nanoscale allows one to essentially tailor the macroscopic properties of the material by manipulating its physical dimensions.
With the advent of the information age, the demand for information storage and displays has been the driving force for much of compound semiconductor development. For GaN and InGaN, the...
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