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This work presents an experimental study on the dislocation luminescence in GaN by nanoindentation, cathodoluminescence, and Raman. The dislocation luminescence peaking at 3.12 eV exhibits a series of special properties in the cathodoluminescence measurements, and it completely disappears after annealing at 500°C. Raman spectroscopy shows evidence for existence of vacancies in the indented region. A comprehensive investigation encompassing cathodoluminescence, Raman, and annealing experiments allow the assignment of dislocation luminescence to conduction-band-acceptor transition involving Ga vacancies. The nanoscale plasticity of GaN can be better understood by considering the dislocation luminescence mechanism.

Elasto-plastic mechanical deformation behaviors of c-plane (0001) and nonpolar GaN single crystals are studied using nanoindentation, cathodoluminescence, and transmission electron microscopy. Nanoindentation tests show that c-plane GaN is less susceptible to plastic deformation and has higher hardness and Young's modulus than the nonpolar GaN. Cathodoluminescence and transmission electron microscopy characterizations of indent-induced plastic deformation reveal that there are two primary slip systems for the c-plane GaN, while there is only one most favorable slip system for the nonplane GaN. We suggest that the anisotropic elasto-plastic mechanical properties of GaN are relative to its anisotropic plastic deformation behavior. PACS: 62.20.fq; 81.05.Ea; 61.72.Lk.