Silicon-on-insulator for symmetry-converted growth

Integration of metals and semiconductors having three- or sixfold symmetry on device-oriented [i.e., (001)] silicon wafers, which have fourfold symmetry, has been a long-standing challenge. The authors demonstrate that, by using symmetry-converted (111) silicon on insulator, wurtzite-structure gallium nitride, which has threefold symmetry, can be integrated with Si(001). The stability of the symmetry-converted Si(111) layer makes this technique appealing to the commercial integration of wide-ranging important materials onto Si(001) base wafers.