Self-standing nanoporous GaN membranes fabricated by UV-assisted electrochemical anodization

•Self-standing GaN layers with various morphologies have been fabricated.•Strain relaxation of the GaN layers was confirmed by x-ray diffraction.•Bending radius demonstrated the optically stable characteristics of the GaN layers.

Self-standing GaN layer with an aligned pore or highly branching pore morphology has been fabricated by a one-step method using UV-assisted electrochemical anodization. This self-standing layer can be transferred onto any other substrates (e.g. glasses, plastics, etc.). Strain relaxation was confirmed by x-ray diffraction. In the course of lifting-off GaN layers, we found that nanoporous morphology was related to Si doping concentration in GaN thin films. On the flexible substrates, furthermore, the bending radius demonstrated the mechanically and optically stable characteristics of the GaN layers.

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