Structural Analysis of Planar Defects in Wurtzite Type Aluminium Nitride

Abstract

Structure of planar defects with unique appearances in hot-pressed wurtzite AlN was examined by weak-beam and high resolution electron microscopy to understand its nature and the growth mechanism. Condensation of supersaturated vacancies during cooling of the specimen is considered as the major driving force for expanding both the stacking fault type planar defect parallel to (00·1) and curving one constituting the composite structure, although cooperating effects of major impurity elements such as oxygen by segregating into the faulted defects is also suspected. The growth configuration of the defect composite indicated that internal stress in the hot-prerssed specimens affected the selection of variants of the faulting defect parallel to the basal plane.