Abstract

Significant developments have been made in III-nitride compound semiconductor nanowire heterostructures. This paper provides an overview on the recent progress of III-nitride nanowire heterostructures and their emerging device applications. The growth mechanisms of III-nitride nanowires are first described, followed by a review of the structural, electrical, and optical properties of In(Ga)N nanowires. The use of III-nitride nanowires to realize functional photonic devices, including light emitting diodes, lasers, solar cells, and sensors are also briefly described, with special attention paid to the emerging nanowire LEDs for applications in solid state lighting.

Keywords: III-nitride nanowires, nanowire growth, light emitting diodes, optoelectronics, solid state lighting, nanotechnology, conductivity, nanowires, photodetectors, InGaN