A method was proposed for the direct visualization of the spatial nano-architecture of dislocation networks which was based upon etching away the regions with low density of structural defects from the bulk of GaN epilayers, keeping intact only the threading dislocations and a thin surface film pre-treated with low-energy Ar+ ions. The formation of nm-thick suspended membrane to which the dislocations were genetically attached provided conditions for the revelation of the spatial nano-architecture of dislocation networks using conventional scanning electron microscopy. Complementary monochromatic and panchromatic micro-cathodoluminescence images were presented.

Membrane-Assisted Revelation of the Spatial Nanoarchitecture of Dislocation Networks. I.Tiginyanu, V.Popa, M.A.Stevens-Kalceff: Materials Letters, 2011, 65[2], 360-2