Interplay of intrinsic and extrinsic states in pinning and passivation of m-plane facets of GaN n-p-n junctions

Intrinsic and extrinsic pinning and passivation of m-plane cleavage facets of GaN n- p- n junctions were investigated by cross-sectional scanning tunneling microscopy and spectroscopy. On freshly cleaved and clean p-type GaN( 10 1 ¯ 0) surfaces, the Fermi level is found to be extrinsically pinned by defect states, whereas n-type surfaces are intrinsically pinned by the empty surface state. For both types of doping, air exposure reduces the density of pinning states and shifts the pinning levels toward the band edges. These effects are assigned to water adsorption and dissociation, passivating intrinsic and extrinsic gap states. The revealed delicate interplay of intrinsic and extrinsic surface states at GaN( 10 1 ¯ 0) surfaces is a critical factor for realizing flatband conditions at sidewall facets of nanowires exhibiting complex doping structures.