Photoluminescence study of near-surface GaN/AlN superlattices

• We report on the emission properties of GaN/AlN superlattices (SLs) grown by metalorganic chemical vapor deposition on a thick GaN layer. Nominally undoped and Si-doped SL structures with the well/barrier thickness ratio 3:1 and different SL periods are investigated. It is found that in these SLs without capping layer the energy position, intensity and linewidth of the emission are determined by the interplay of the built-in polarization field, the depletion field arising from the pinning of the Fermi level at the surface, and the screening of the electric field in the quantum well due to the both the polarization-induced two-dimension electron gas (2DEG) and the photo-generated carriers. A non-uniform equilibrium electron distribution and an electron accumulation at the bottom AlN/GaN interface are evidenced by the observed recombination of the 2DEG with the photo-excited holes occurring below the GaN bandgap.

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NATURAL SCIENCES

NATURVETENSKAP

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