Transformation from β-Ga2O3 to GaN nanowires via nitridation

Element doping is an important way to modify the properties of semiconductor materials. In our previous work, it was found that nitrogen-doping in beta-Ga2O3 nanowires can induce a novel luminescence emission (around 740 nm) caused by generation of acceptor levels at the middle of the band gap of the beta-Ga2O3 nanowires. Here we report that further heavy doping of nitrogen can transform the beta-Ga2O3 nanowires completely into wurtzite structured GaN nanowires. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM), x-ray diffraction (XRD) and Raman spectrum are used to evaluate the transition process. Both XRD and Raman analysis reveal that the monoclinic beta-Ga2O3 nanowires start phase transformation at a temperature around 850 degrees C towards wurtzite structured GaN. Our results will be very helpful to profound our understanding of the doping induced effects and phase transformation in semiconductor compounds.