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In a previous study, we successfully obtained large-diameter, low-dislocation-density GaN wafer using the Na-flux multi-point seed (MPS) technique. However, the lattice constants of the GaN wafer grown by this technique expanded due to oxygen concentration in pyramidal facets. We here invented a breakthrough technique for the promotion of lateral growth, and succeed in suppressing pyramidal facet growth by residual flux formed after extraction of the MPS-GaN substrate from the Na-Ga melt in a crucible. The surface of the grown wafer was fully composed of the c-plane and showed low oxygen concentration, so expansion of lattice constants could be successfully prevented.

We recently invented a method called the flux-film-coated technique for purifying a GaN wafer with low dislocation density grown from point-seed crystals. In this study, we investigated the mechanism behind the reduction of dislocation density in the GaN wafer by evaluating the three-dimensional behavior of dislocations using multiphoton-excitation photoluminescence images. We made the surprising discovery that dislocations more than 50 μm away disappeared by annihilating each other as growth proceeded, and this is one of the mechanisms underlying the dislocation density reduction. The moving distance of dislocations before annihilation is uncommon and a unique phenomenon in the Na-flux method.

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