• Journal of the Korean Ceramic Society
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• v.40 no.11
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• pp.1058-1061
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• 2003

Gallium Nitride (GaN) powders were synthesized by calcining a gallium(III) sulfate salt in flowing ammonia in the temperature range 500-1100$^{\circ}C$. The process of conversion of the salt to GaN was monitored by X-Ray Diffraction (XRD). The salt decomposed to ${\gamma}$-Ga$_2$O$_3$ and then converted to GaN without ${\gamma}$-${\beta}$Ga$_2$O$_3$ phase transition. Variations in XRD patterns and weight loss of samples with temperature indicate that the conversion of ${\gamma}$-Ga$_2$O$_3$ to GaN does not proceed through Ga$_2$O but stepwise via amorphous gallium oxynitride (GaO$\_$x/N$\_$y/) as intermediates. Room-temperature photoluminescence spectra of GaN powders obtained showed the emission peak at 363 nm and no yellow band.