Effects of In surfactant on the crystalline and photoluminescence properties of GaN nanowires

GaN nanowires have been grown with and without In as an additional source. The effects of In surfactant on the crystal quality and photoluminescence property of GaN nanowires are reported for the first time. X-ray diffraction, field emission scanning electron microscopy, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, energy-dispersive x-ray spectroscopy, and photoluminescence measurements are employed to analyse the products. The results show that introducing a certain amount of In surfactant during the growth process can improve the crystal quality of the GaN nanowires, and enhance the photoluminescence of them. In addition, the as-prepared GaN nanowires have the advantage of being easy to be separated, which will benefit the subsequent nanodevice fabrication.