Yellow luminescence mechanism and persistent photoconductivity in n-GaN single crystal films grown on alpha-Al2O3(0001) substrates by LP-MOCVD

Unintentionally doped and Si-doped single crystal n-GaN films have been grown on alpha-Al2O3 (0001) substrates by LP-MOCVD. Room temperature photoluminescence measurement showed that besides the bandedges, the spectrum of an undoped sample was a broad deep-level emission band peaking from 2.19 to 2.30eV, whereas the spectrum for a Si-doped sample was composed of a dominant peak of 2.19eV and a shoulder of 2.32eV. At different temperatures, photoconductance buildup and its decay were also observed for both samples.. The likely origins of persistent photoconductivity and yellow luminescence, which might be associated with deep defects inclusive of either Ga vacancy(V-Ga)/Ga vacancy complex induced by impurities or N antisite (N-Ga), will be proposed.

Effects of residual C and O impurities on photoluminescence in undoped GaN epilayers

Photoluminescence (PL) was investigated in undoped GaN from 4.8 K to room temperature. The 4.8 K spectra exhibited recombinations of free exciton, donor-acceptor pair (DAP), blue and yellow bands (Ybs). The blue band (BB) was also identified to be a DAP recombination. The YB was assigned to a recombination from deep levels. The energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy show that C and O are the main residual impurities in undoped GaN and that C concentration is lower in the epilayers with the stronger BB. The electronic structures of native defects, C and O impurities, and their complexes were calculated using ab initio local-density-functional (LDF) methods with linear muffin-tin-orbital and 72-atomic supercell. The theoretical analyses suggest that the electron transitions from O-N states to C-N and to V-Ga states are responsible for DAP and the BB, respectively, and the electron transitions between the inner levels of the C-N-O-N complex may be responsible for the YB in our samples. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.

Self-assembled InAs quantum wires on InP(001)

Self-assembled InAs quantum wires (QWRs) embedded in In0.52Al0.48As In0.53Ga0.47As, and (In0.52Al0.48As)(2)/(In(0.53)Ga(0.47)AS)(2)-short-period-lattice matrixes on InP (001) were fabricated with molecular beam epitaxy (MBE). These QWR lines are along [110], x4 direction in the 2x4 reconstructed (001) surface as revealed with high energy electron diffraction (RHEED). Alignment of quantum wires in a multilayer structure depends on the composition of spacer layers.

Effect of rapid thermal annealing on electron emission and DX centers in strained InGaAs/GaAs single quantum well laser diodes

nThermal processing of strained ln(0.2)Ga(0.8)As/GaAs graded-index separate confinement heterostructure single quantum well laser diodes grown by molecular beam epitaxy is investigated. It was found that rapid thermal annealing can improve the 77 K photoluminescence efficiency and electron emission from the active layer, due to removal of nonradiative centers from the InGaAs/GaAs interface. Because of the interdiffusion of Al and Ga atoms, rapid thermal annealing increases simultaneously the density of DX centers in the AlGaAs graded layer. The current stressing experiments of post-growth and annealed laser diodes are indicative of a corresponding increase in the concentration of DX centers, suggesting that DX centers may be responsible for the degradation of laser diode performance.

Hydrogen behavior in GaN epilayers grown by NH3-MBE

Hydrogen behavior in unintentionally doped GaN epilayers on sapphire substrates grown by NH3-MBE is investigated. Firstly, we find by using nuclear reaction analysis (NRA) that with increasing hydrogen concentration the background electron concentration increases, which suggests that there exists a hydrogen-related donor in undoped GaN, Secondly, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) absorption and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) reveal Further that hydrogen atom is bound to nitrogen atom in GaN with a local vibrational mode at about 3211 cm(-1) Hence, it is presumed that the hydrogen-related complex Ga. . .H-N is a hydrogen-related donor candidate partly responsible for high n-type background commonly observed in GaN films. Finally, Raman spectroscopy results of the epilayers show that ill addition to the expected compressive biaxial strain, in some cases GaN films suffer from serious tensile biaxial strain. This anomalous behavior has been well interpreted in terms of interstitial hydrogen lattice dilation. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.

Current-induced migration of surface adatoms during GaN growth by molecular beam epitaxy

The influence of electric fields on surface migration of Gallium (Ga) and Nitrogen (N) adatoms is studied during GaN growth by molecular beam epitaxy (MBE). When a direct current (DC) is used to heat the sample, long distance migration of Ga adatoms and diffusion asymmetry of N adatoms at steps are observed. On the other hand, if an alternating current (AC) is used, no such preferential adatom migration is found. This effect is attributed to the effective positive charges of surface adatoms. representing an effect of electro-migration. The implications of such current-induced surface migration to GaN epitaxy are subsequently investigated. It is seen to firstly change the distribution of Ga adatoms on a growing surface, and thus make the growth to be Ga-limited at one side of the sample but N-limited at the other side. This leads to different optical qualities of the film and different morphologies of the surface. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.

Self-assembled quantum dots, wires and quantum-dot lasers

Molecular beam epitaxy-grown self-assembled In(Ga)As/GaAs and InAs/InAlAs/InP quantum dots (QDs) and quantum wires (QWRs) have been studied. By adjusting growth conditions, surprising alignment. preferential elongation, and pronounced sequential coalescence of dots and wires under specific condition are realized. The lateral ordering of QDs and the vertical anti-correlation of QWRs are theoretically discussed. Room-temperature (RT) continuous-wave (CW) lasing at the wavelength of 960 nm with output power of 3.6 W from both uncoated facets is achieved fi-om vertical coupled InAs/GaAs QDs ensemble. The RT threshold current density is 218 A/cm(2). A RT CW output power of 0.6 W/facet ensures at least 3570 h lasing (only drops 0.83 dB). (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V, All rights reserved.