Low temperature growth of semi-polar InN (10(1)over-bar1) on non-crystalline substrate by plasma-assisted laser ablation technique

We report low-temperature growth of semipolar (10 (1) over bar1) InN films on a non-crystalline substrate (quartz) using a novel route i.e. plasma-assisted laser ablation technique. The structural, morphological, optical, electrical and chemical/elemental environment of these films was investigated using respective techniques. Dramatic changes associated with the surface morphology of these films/nanostructures are observed to depend on the growth temperature which is changed only by the difference of 100 degrees C. These changes are mainly the transformation from a continuous planar 2D nanostructured film (deposited at RT) to 3D faceted nanostructured film (deposited at 300 degrees C). Observed changes/transformations are attributed to the surface diffusion processes, which are temperature-dependent. These structural transformations are observed to affect the optical as well as electrical properties of the films.