Synthesis and structural properties of GaN powders

Gallium nitride(GaN) powders have been synthesized by nitriding β-Ga2O3 powders in the flow of NH3 gas at a nitridation temperature of 950 °C for 35 min. X-ray powder diffraction (XRD) reveals that the synthesized GaN is of a single-phase wurtzite structure with lattice constants a = 3.191 Å. and c = 5.192 Å. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) also indicates that GaN particle is a single crystal. X-ray photo-electron spectroscopy (XPS) confirms the formation of bonding between Ga and N, and yields the surface stoichiometry of Ga:N of 1:1. The morphology of GaN particles examined by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) is ruleless.