GaN nanorods coated with pure BN

We report a method to efficiently synthesize gallium nitride (GaN) nanorods coated with insulating boron nitride (BN) layers. The GaN core is crystalline (with either a cubic zincblende or hexagonal wurtzite structure) and has diameters ranging from 10 to 85 nm and lengths up to 60 mum. The outer encapsulating BN shells with typical thicknesses less than 5 nm extend fully over, and adhere well to, the entire nanorod surface. (C) 2002 American Institute of Physics.