We have demonstrated non-polar GaN power diodes (Schottky barrier diode and p–n junction diode) on foreign substrates featuring the true-lateral p–n and metal–semiconductor junctions. The diodes were fabricated on GaN islands laterally overgrown on the mask-patterned sapphire and Si substrates by metalorganic vapor phase epitaxy. The anode and cathode were formed on the opposed a-plane sidewalls of the island, making the device architecture essentially like the 90° rotation of the desired true-vertical power diodes. The ideality factor of the Schottky barrier diode remained 1.0 (from 1.00 to 1.05) over 7 decades in current. Specifically, a high critical electric field of 3.3 MV/cm was demonstrated on the p–n junction diode with avalanche capability. These performances reveal a strong potential of non-polar GaN with the true-lateral junctions for high power applications.

The existence of high threading dislocation density (TDD) in GaN-based epilayers is a long unsolved problem, which hinders further applications of defect-sensitive GaN-based devices. Multiple-modulation of epitaxial lateral overgrowth (ELOG) is used to achieve high-quality GaN template on a novel serpentine channel patterned sapphire substrate (SCPSS). The dislocation blocking brought by the serpentine channel patterned mask, coupled with repeated dislocation bending, can reduce the dislocation density to a yet-to-be-optimized level of ∼2 × 10(5) to 2 × 10(6) cm(-2). About 80% area utilization rate of GaN with low TDD and stress relaxation is obtained. The periodical variations of dislocation density, optical properties and residual stress in GaN-based epilayers on SCPSS are analyzed. The quantum efficiency of InGaN/GaN multiple quantum wells (MQWs) on it can be increased by 52% compared with the conventional sapphire substrate. The reduced nonradiative recombination centers, the enhanced carrier localization, and the suppressed quantum confined Stark effect, are the main determinants of improved luminous performance in MQWs on SCPSS. This developed ELOG on serpentine shaped mask needs no interruption and regrowth, which can be a promising candidate for the heteroepitaxy of semipolar/nonpolar GaN and GaAs with high quality.

We identify that the stimulated emission of GaN laser diodes (LDs) emerges far below the traditionally recognized threshold from both optical and electrical experiments. Below the threshold, the linear-polarized stimulated emission has been the dominating part of overall emission and closely related to resonant cavity. Its intensity increases super linearly with current while that of spontaneous emission increases almost linearly. Moreover, the separation of quasi-Fermi levels of electrons and holes across the active region has already exceeded the photon emission energy, namely, realized the population-inversion.