Interactions between inversion domain boundaries and intrinsic basal stacking faults in wurtzite-structured GaN grown on (00•1) sapphire were studied by using high-resolution electron microscopy observations and empirical potential calculations. In one type of interaction, a stacking fault terminates on an inversion domain boundary, thereby inducing a transformation from a low-energy and electrically non-active inversion domain boundary structure to a high-energy, electrically active one. In a second interaction, the stacking fault crosses the inversion domain boundary without changing its structure. These configurations were topologically established a priori, and were confirmed by experimental observations. It was found that the first junction line exhibited partial dislocation character, while the second was defect-free. Atomic-scale periodic super-cells of the interactions were produced and the relative energy values were estimated.

Atomic-Scale Models of Interactions between Inversion Domain Boundaries and Intrinsic Basal Stacking Faults in GaN. J.Kioseoglou, G.P.Dimitrakopulos, H.M.Polatoglou, L.Lymperakis, G.Nouet, P.Komninou: Diamond and Related Materials, 2002, 11[3-6], 905-9