Dislocation cross-slip in GaN single crystals under nanoindentation

The dislocation multiplication and movement mechanism in GaN single crystals has been studied using nanoindentation and cathodoluminescence. Dislocation loops can multiply and move from plane to plane by cross-slip, thus producing a wide plastic deformation in GaN during indentation. This mechanism is further supported by the remarkable movement of indentation induced dislocations during annealing. Furthermore, the so-called pop-in events, in which the indenter suddenly enters deeper into the material without the application of any additional force, can be better understood by considering the cross-slip mechanism. (C) 2011 American Institute of Physics. [doi: 10.1063/1.3593381]