Two kinds of GaN samples were grown on GaAs(0 0 1) substrates. One is grown on nitridized GaAs surface, the other is grown on nitridized AlAs buffer GaAs substrate. X-ray diffraction and photoluminescence measurements find that the GaN sample directly grown on GaAs substrate is pure cubic phase and those grown on AlAs buffer is pure hexagonal phase. The present study shows that the phase of GaN samples grown on GaAs substrates can be controlled using different buffer layers.