The growth of N-polar GaN films on (0001) Al2O3 substrates by plasma-assisted molecular beam epitaxy was demonstrated using a CrN buffer layer. Analysis of reflection high energy electron diffraction (RHEED) patterns and a chemical etching method were used in order to confirm the polarity of GaN on CrN. RHEED patterns show the 3 x 3 pattern characteristic of GaN. Chemical etching significantly changes the GaN surface morphology which implies that the N-polar GaN was grown on the CrN buffer layer. In addition, an improvement in the crystal properties of GaN was achieved using the annealing process for the CrN buffer layers. (c) 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.