Dislocations introduced by the scratching or by the indentation of the basal and prismatic surfaces of low-ohmic unintentionally n-type doped GaN crystals were investigated by means of cathodoluminescence and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). A strong luminescence of straight segments of a-screw dislocations was observed in the temperature range of 70–420 K. The spectrum of dislocation related luminescence (DRL) consisted of a doublet of narrow lines red shifted by about 0.3 eV with respect to the band gap. TEM revealed dissociated character of the screw dislocations and the formation of extended nodes at their intersection. From the analysis of the DRL spectral doublet temperature, power and strain dependences DRL was ascribed to direct and indirect excitons bound by 1D quantum wells formed by partials and stacking fault (SF) ribbon of dissociated screw dislocation.

In this study we compare the growth of gallium oxide films by halide vapor phase epitaxy (HVPE) on various substrates under the same growth conditions. Gallium oxide films were deposited at 500 °C–600 °C on basal plane (0001) planar and patterned sapphire substrates, (0001) 2H-GaN, 4H-SiC, and 2 ¯ 01 bulk β-Ga2O3 substrates. The layers were studied by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and cathodoluminescence (CL) techniques. Most of the films exhibit growth features of hexagonal symmetry. Sn-doped Ga2O3 films exhibit n-type electrical conductivity. Heterojunctions composed of n-type hexagonal Ga2O3:Sn and p-type GaN:Mg demonstrate diode-like I-V characteristics and emit light under forward bias.

The growth of Ga2O3 films by halide vapor phase epitaxy on plain and cone‐shaped patterned sapphire substrates (PSS) is reported. The obtained specimens are characterized by X‐ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, cathodoluminescence, optical transmission spectroscopy, and current–voltage measurements. Both types of Ga2O3 layers are of reasonably high crystal qualities; their physical properties, however, are very different. Under the same conditions, the growth on plain substrates results in a continuous α‐Ga2O3 layer, whereas the growth on PSS produces a regular array of α‐Ga2O3 columns on top of the sapphire cones with the space between them filled with ε‐Ga2O3. Ga2O3 films grown on plain sapphire are insulating; in contrast, Ga2O3 films grown on PSS are conducting. It is found that the conductivity of Ga2O3 on PSS follows the Arrhenius law with the activation energy of 0.33 eV. New luminescent bands for α‐ and ε‐phases are found. Spectral components of the defect‐related luminescence for α‐ and ε‐ phases are identified.