M-plane GaN thin films were grown on 11 degrees misoriented gamma-LiAlO2 substrates without peeling off or cracking by plasma-assisted molecular beam epitaxy. Because of anisotropic growth kinetics, which leads to an anisotropic compressive in-plane strain in the M-plane GaN films, the surface presents a rough morphology with worse crystal quality. The crystal quality of sample was optimally improved, XRD rocking curve FWHM of which is about 900 arcsec, by raising growth temperature to 800 degrees C with proper Ga/N flux ratio. As the crystal quality was improved, the polarization ratio decreased from the unity (less than 0.8) which could be attributed to the effect of exciton localization due to the partial increased in plane strain. (C) 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.