Interplay between counter-surface chemistry and mechanical activation in mechanochemical removal of N-faced GaN surface in humid ambient

Abstract Mechanical activation in mechanical removal of GaN using diamond tip and mechanochemical removal using Al2O3 tip are described by the Archard equation and mechanically assisted Arrhenius-type kinetic model, respectively. Evident material-removal under elastic contact occurs with the assistance of interfacial mechanochemical reactions. By analyzing the mechanochemical reactions with Arrhenius-type kinetic model and Hertzian contact mechanics, the critical activation volume and activation barrier are determined semiquantitatively. The mechanical activation originating from the chemically active counter-surface facilitates the mechanochemical atomic attrition by altering the energy barrier of the reaction kinetics. This work can provide deep insights into the mechanochemical-removal mechanism of GaN.