Direct observations were made of the formation of threading dislocations from stacking faults in GaN layers grown onto (00•1) sapphire by hydride vapour phase epitaxy. High-resolution electron microscopy revealed that the stacking sequence of the stacking fault was “AaBbCcBbAa” and threading dislocations were generated from Shockley partials bounding the stacking fault. A model was proposed to explain how such stacking faults led to the generation of threading dislocations.

Direct Observation of Formation of Threading Dislocations from Stacking Faults in GaN Layer Grown on (0001) Sapphire. F.Y.Meng, I.Han, H.McFelea, E.Lindow, R.Bertram, C.Werkhoven, C.Arena, S.Mahajan: Scripta Materialia, 2011, 64[1], 93-6