Recent progress in group III-nitride nanostructures : from materials to applications

Abstract

Group-III-nitride semiconductors, including AlN, GaN, InN and their ternary, quaternary compounds, are promising electronic and optoelectronic materials for the applications in light emitting diodes, lasers, field emitters, photodetectors, artificial photosynthesis, and solar cells. Owing to their direct bandgaps ranging from near infra-red to deep ultraviolet. In recent years, the growth of group-III nitride nanostructures has been extensively explored. Herein, we provide a comprehensive review on the rational synthesis, fundamental properties and promising applications of group-III nitride nanostructures. Group-III nitride nanostructures with diverse morphologies, their corresponding synthesis methods and formation mechanisms involved are systematically compared and discussed, as well as the detailed factors that influence the optical and electrical properties of the nanostructures. The recent achievements gained in the fields of III-nitride nanostructures are highlighted, including light emitting diodes, laser diodes, photodetectors, solar cells, artificial photocatalysis, nanosensors, and nanogenerators. Finally, some perspectives and outlook on the future developments of III-nitride nanostructures are commented.