Gold catalyst effect on the morphological and structural properties of GaN nanostructures deposited by plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition

• Novel method for synthesis of GaN nanostructures by DC-PECVD.
• Deposition of GaN nanostructures occurs at low temperature (600 °C).
• This method is simple using inexpensive precursors such as metallic Ga and N2 gas.
• There is no NH3 gas or other poisonous gas in this method which makes this work safe.

Wurtzite type structure of GaN nanowires and nanograins were synthesized by pulsed direct current plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (DC-PECVD) at low temperature (600 °C). The GaN nanostructures were grown using gallium atoms and excited nitrogen species in the plasma on Si substrates either with or without catalyst. Structural and morphological characterizations of GaN nanostructures were carried out using X-ray diffraction (XRD), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) and field emission electron microscopy (FESEM). GaN nanowires were grown on the gold-coated Si with average diameters of 20–30 nm. However, nanoislands appeared over uncoated Si substrates. Using catalyst can increase the concentration of nitrogen and gallium atoms and GaN nanowires can be formed on the gold-coated Si substrate.