Procedures for the preparation of bevels and the determination of their geo
metrical parameters have been developed. Using these procedures study of co
mpositional and optical spatially resolved inhomogeneities of AlxGa1-xN lay
ers grown on (0001) sapphire have been studied by EPMA and cathodoluminesce
nce. It has been found that the nonuniform distribution in depth of Al in e
pitaxial layers grown under constant conditions is connected with presence
of stresses in the layer.