Skip to main content
Log in

Exciton localization behaviour in different well width undoped GaN/Al0.07Ga0.93N nanostructures

  • Published:
Opto-Electronics Review

Abstract

We report results from optical spectroscopy such as photoluminescence (PL) and time resolved photo-luminescence (TRPL) techniques from different well width MOCVD grown GaN/Al0.07Ga0.93N MQW samples. There is evidence of localization at low temperature in all samples. The decay time of all samples becomes non-exponential when the detection energy is increased with respect to the peak of the emission. Localization of carriers (excitons) is demonstrated by the “S-shape” dependences of the PL peak energies on the temperature. The time-resolved PL spectra of the 3-nm well multi quantum wells reveal that the spectral peak position shifts toward lower energies as the decay time increases and becomes red-shifted at longer decay times. There is a gradient in the PL decay time across the emission peak profile, so that the PL process at low temperatures is a free electron-localized hole transition.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. S.C. Jain, M. Willander, J. Narayan, and R. Van Overstraeten, “III-nitrides: Growth, characterization, and properties”, J. Appl. Phys. 87, 965 (2000).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  2. S. Nakamura, “InGaN-based multi-quantum-well-structure laser diodes”, Jpn. J. Appl. Phys. 35, L74 (1996).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. M. Gallart, A. Morel, T. Taliercio, P. Lefebvre, B. Gil, and J. Allegre, “Scale effect on exciton localization and nonradiative processes in GaN/AlGaN quantum wells”, Phys. Stat. Sol.(a) 180, 127 (2000).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  4. M. Esmaeili, H. Haratizadeh, B. Monemar, P.P. Paskov, P.O. Holtz, P. Bergman, M. Iwaya, S. Kamiyama, H. Amano, and I. Akasaki, “Photoluminescence study of MOCVD — grown GaN/AlGaN MQW nanostructures: influence of Al composition and Si doping”, Nanotechnology 17, 1–6 (2006).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. A. Hangleiter, J.S. Im, H. Kollmer, S. Hepple, J. Off, and F. Scholz, “The role of piezoelectric fields in GaN — based quantum wells”, MRS Internet J. Nitride Semicond. Res. 3, 15 (1998).

    Google Scholar 

  6. J.S. Im, H. Kollmer, J. Off, J. Sohmer, F. Scholz, and A. Hangleiter, “Reduction of oscillator strength due to piezoelectric fields in GaN/AlxGa1−xN quantum wells”, Phys. Rev. B57, R9435(1998).

    ADS  Google Scholar 

  7. P. Lefebvre, J. Allegre, B. Gil, H. Mathieu, P. Bigenwald, and N. Grandjean, “Time-resolved photoluminescence as a probe of internal electric fields in GaN-(GaAl)N quantum wells”, Phys. Rev. B59, 15363 (1999) and references cited there in.

    ADS  Google Scholar 

  8. M. Leroux, N. Grandjean, M. Laugt, J. Massies, B. Gil, P. Lefebvre, and P. Bigenwald, “Quantum confined stark effect due to built-in internal polarization fields in (Al, Ga)N/GaN quantum wells”, Phys. Rev. B58, R13371 (1998).

    Google Scholar 

  9. A. Bykhovski, B. Gelmont, and M. Shur, “Pyroelectricity in gallium nitride thin films”, Appl. Phys. Lett. 63, 2243 (1993).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  10. F. Bernardini, V. Fiorentini, and D. Vanderbilt, “Spontaneous polarization and piezoelectric constants of III–V nitrides”, Phys. Rev. B56, R10 024 (1997).

    Google Scholar 

  11. H. Haratizadeh, B. Monemar, P.P. Paskov, P.O. Holtz, G. Pozina, S. Kamiyama, M. Iwaya, H. Amano, and I. Akasaki, “Time resolved photoluminescence study of Si modulation doped GaN/Al0.07Ga0.93N multiple quantum wells”, Phys. Stat. Sol. (b) 241, 1124–1133 (2004).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  12. A. Reale, G. Massari, A. Di Carlo, P. Lugli, A. Vinattieri, D. Alderighi, M. Colocci, F. Semond, N. Grandjean, and J. Massies, “Polarization field effects on the recombination dynamics in low-In-content InGaN multi-quantum wells”, J. Appl. Phys. 93, 400 (2003).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  13. K.C. Zeng, J.Y. Lin, H.X. Jiang, A. Salvador, G. Popovici, H. Tang, W. Kim, and H. Morkoc, “Achieving highly conductive AlGaN alloys with high Al contents”, Appl. Phys. Lett. 71, 1368 (1997).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  14. C. Weisbuch, R. Dingle, A.C. Gossard, and W. Wiegmann, “Optical characterization of interface disorder in GaAs-Ga1-xAlxAS multi-quantum well structures”, Solid State Commun. 38, 709 (1981).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  15. M.A. Herman, D. Bimberg, and J. Christen, “Optical diagnostics for thin film processing”, J. Appl. Phys. 70, 704–709 (1991).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  16. J. Singh and K.K. Bajaj, “Role of interface roughness and alloy disorder in photoluminescence in quantum well structures”, J. Appl. Phys. 57, 5433–5437 (1985).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  17. B. Monemar, H. Haratizadeh, P. Paskov, G. Pozina, P.O. Holtz, P. Bergman, S. Kamiyama, M. Iwaya, H. Amano, and I. Akasaki, “Influence of polarization fields and depletion fields on photoluminescence of AlGaN/GaN multiple quantum well structures”, Phys. Stat. Sol. (b) 237, 353 (2003).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  18. M. Gallart, M. Morel, T. Taliercio, B. Gil, J. Allegre, H. Mathieu, B. Damilano, N. Grandjean, and J. Massies, “Reduction of carrier in-plane mobility in group-III nitride based quantum wells: the role of internal electric fields”, Phys. Stat. Sol. (a) 183, 61 (2001).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  19. P. Paskov, P.O. Holtz, B. Monemar, S. Kamiyama, M. Iwaya, H. Amano, and I. Akaski, “Phonon-assisted photoluminescence in InGaN/GaN multiple quantum wells”, Phys. Stat. Sol. (b) 234, 755 (2002).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  20. Y.P. Varshni, “Temperature dependence of the energy gap in semiconductors”, Physics 34, 149 (1967).

    Google Scholar 

  21. M. Leroux, N. Grandjean, B. Beaumont, G. Nataf, F. Semond, J. Massies, and P. Gibart, “Gas source molecular beam intensities in undoped and doped GaN”, J. Appl. Phys. 86, 3721 (1999).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

About this article

Cite this article

Sabooni, M., Esmaeili, M., Haratizadeh, H. et al. Exciton localization behaviour in different well width undoped GaN/Al0.07Ga0.93N nanostructures. Opto-Electron. Rev. 15, 163–167 (2007). https://doi.org/10.2478/s11772-007-0017-5

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/s11772-007-0017-5

Keywords

Navigation