  The structure of disordered GaN:O films grown by ion-assisted deposition is
investigated using x-ray absorption near-edge spectroscopy and Raman
spectroscopy. It is found that between 4 and 21 % of the nitrogen in the films
is in the form of molecular N_2 that interacts only weakly with the surrounding
matrix. The anion to cation ratio in the GaN:O host remains close to unity, and
there is a close correlation between the N_2 fraction, the level of oxygen
impurities, and the absence of short-range order in the GaN:O matrix.
