title: Nucleation, Growth, and Bundling of GaN Nanowires in Molecular Beam Epitaxy: Disentangling the Origin of Nanowire Coalescence.
abstract: We investigate the nucleation, growth, and coalescence of spontaneously formed GaN nanowires in molecular beam epitaxy combining the statistical analysis of scanning electron micrographs with Monte Carlo growth models. We find that (i) the nanowire density is limited by the shadowing of the substrate from the impinging fluxes by already existing nanowires, (ii) shortly after the nucleation stage, nanowire radial growth becomes negligible, and (iii) coalescence is caused by bundling of nanowires. The latter phenomenon is driven by the gain of surface energy at the expense of the elastic energy of bending and becomes energetically favorable once the nanowires exceed a certain critical length.
authors.affiliation: Paul-Drude-Institut für Festkörperelektronik, Hausvogteiplatz 5-7, 10117 Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: Vladimir M
authors.initials: VM
authors.lastname: Kaganer
authors.affiliation: Paul-Drude-Institut für Festkörperelektronik, Hausvogteiplatz 5-7, 10117 Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: Sergio
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Fernández-Garrido
authors.affiliation: Paul-Drude-Institut für Festkörperelektronik, Hausvogteiplatz 5-7, 10117 Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: Pinar
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Dogan
authors.affiliation: Paul-Drude-Institut für Festkörperelektronik, Hausvogteiplatz 5-7, 10117 Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: Karl K
authors.initials: KK
authors.lastname: Sabelfeld
authors.affiliation: Paul-Drude-Institut für Festkörperelektronik, Hausvogteiplatz 5-7, 10117 Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: Oliver
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Brandt
keywords: GaN; Nanowires; coalescence; nucleation