Observation of two atomic configurations for the ${12̄10}$ stacking fault in wurtzite (Ga, Al) nitrides Available to Purchase

High resolution electron microscopy has been used to determine the atomic structure of the ${12̄10}$ stacking fault which easily folds from prismatic to basal plane in wurtzite (Al, Ga)N epitaxial layers. This letter reports experimental evidence for a simultaneous occurrence of two atomic configurations for the ${12̄10}$ stacking fault. In more than 90% of the cases, it takes the atomic structure of the $1/2〈101̄1〉{12̄10}$ stacking fault; and in very few nanometric areas, it exhibits a $1/6〈202̄3〉$ stacking fault atomic configuration.