GaN layer on c-plane misoriented sapphire, grown by metal organic chemical vapor deposition, has been studied. It was observed that the random and non-uniform distribution of the step was caused by the step reconstruction for GaN grown on 08 sapphire by atomic force microscopy. The image quality parameter analysis of electron back-scatter diffraction indicated that the strains were reduced for GaN grown on 0.28 and 0.38 sapphire, and optical and electrical properties were improved. The electroluminescence intensity of LED grown on 0.28 and 0.38 sapphire was 2 times as that of 08 sapphire. (C) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.