The mechanical properties and microstructures of microcrystalline GaN layers were studied. This compound was shown to have a low defect density, high hardness and rather good plasticity. The specific behaviours of the dependences of microhardness upon load and of brittleness upon load were explained in terms of a dislocation-disclination deformation mechanism.

Mechanical Properties and Microstructure of Microcrystalline GaN. I.Zhilyaev, D.Grabco, D.Leu, V.Botnariuc, S.Raevskii: Philosophical Magazine A, 2002, 82[10], 2217-21