Thermal oxidation behaviors of GaN powders

The thermal techniques including thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA) and differential thermal analysis (DTA) were employed to investigate the thermal oxidation behaviors of gallium nitride (GaN) in the environment of open air. It was found that the thermal oxidation behaviors of GaN powders followed the two-step reaction being exothermic. Formation of Ga–O islands on the surface of GaN was found in the temperature range between 200 and 680 °C by FTIR and XRD patterns. The gallium oxide (Ga2O3) was gradually formed in the interior of GaN when the thermal temperature exceeded 810 °C. Over 915 °C, GaN was all converted into β-Ga2O3 observed by FTIR and XRD patterns.