Epitaxial growth of aligned AlGalnN nanowires by metal-organic chemical vapor deposition

A method of growing nanowires in a selected growth direction, comprising the steps of:

• providing a substrate on which semiconductor islands or mesas are capable of being formed;
• forming semiconductor islands or mesas on a surface of the substrate, wherein the islands or mesas are selected from the group consisting of gallium nitride and aluminum gallium nitride;
• activating exposed surfaces of the islands or mesas to prepare the islands or mesas for the growth of nanowires thereon;
• and
• growing at least one nanowire in a selected growth direction from the activated surfaces of the islands or mesas.

A method of growing nanowires in a selected growth direction, comprising the steps of:

• providing a substrate on which semiconductor islands or mesas are capable of being formed;
• forming semiconductor islands or mesas on a surface of the substrate, wherein the islands or mesas are formed so that sidewalls of the islands or mesas are pyramidal;
• activating exposed surfaces bf the islands or mesas to prepare the islands or mesas for the growth of nanowires thereon;
• and
• growing at least one nanowire in a selected growth direction from the activated surfaces of the islands or mesas.