Analysis of the atomic structure of interfaces and defects in wurtzite nitride semiconductors

High-resolution electron microscopy (HREM) was used to investigate the atomic structure of extended defects present inside wurtzite nitride layers. The threading dislocations bear three atomic configurations with 8-atom cycles, 5/7- and 4-atom rings along their line. Inversion domains are bounded by {1 0 1 0} facets and their boundaries exhibit GaGa and NN bonds or are reconstructed. The only non-inversion boundaries lie in {1 1 2̄ 0} lattice planes. A thorough investigation has shown that they are prismatic faults and two atomic configurations have been observed, they have 1/2〈1 0 1̄ 1〉 and 1/6〈2 0 2̄ 3〉 displacement vectors, respectively.