In this study, wurtzite gallium nitride (GaN) thin film was directly grown on hexagonal silicon carbide (6H-SiC) substrate without buffer layer using sol-gel spin coating method followed by annealing and nitridation process. The entire growth process was investigated in-depth. The results revealed that the conversion of GaN thin film proceeds through an intermediate of amorphous gallium(I) sub-oxide (Ga2O). In this case, the amorphous Ga2O was converted into GaN thin film after being nitridated at 950 degrees C under ammonia ambient. The intermediate of amorphous Ga2O can only be identified through infrared reflectance measurements. (C) 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.