Initial formation mechanisms of (Ga 1− x Mn x )N nanorods grown on Al 2 O 3 (0001) substrates

The (Ga 1− x Mn x )N nanorods were grown on Al 2 O 3 (0001) substrates by using rf-associated molecular beam epitaxy. X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and selected-area diffraction pattern (SADP) results showed that the (Ga 1− x Mn x )N nanorods had (0001) preferential orientations. XRD patterns showed that the (Ga 1− x Mn x )N nanorods contained a small number of grains with different preferred orientations. High-resolution TEM (HRTEM) images showed that the (Ga 1− x Mn x )N nanorods consisted of different preferentially oriented grains. The initial formation mechanisms for the (Ga 1− x Mn x )N nanorods grown on Al 2 O 3 (0001) substrates are described on the basis of the XRD, the TEM, the SADP, and the HRTEM results.