Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-l7hp2 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-25T17:30:32.695Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Photoluminescence Excitation Spectroscopy of Carbon-Doped Gallium Nitride

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  15 February 2011

E. E. Reuter
Affiliation:
University of Illinois Microelectronics Lab, 208 N. Wright St., Urbana, IL 61801
R. Zhang
Affiliation:
Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin 53706
T. F. Kuech
Affiliation:
Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin 53706
S. G. Bishop
Affiliation:
University of Illinois Microelectronics Lab, 208 N. Wright St., Urbana, IL 61801
Get access

Abstract

We have done a comparative study of carbon-doped GaN and undoped GaN utilizing photoluminescence (PL) and photoluminescence excitation (PLE) spectroscopies in order to investigate deep levels involved in yellow luminescence (YL) and red luminescence (RL). When the GaN was excited by above-bandgap light, red luminescence (RL) centered at 1.82 eV was the dominant below-gap PL from undoped GaN, but carbon-doped GaN below-gap PL was dominated by yellow luminescence (YL) centered at 2.2 eV. When exciting PL below the band-gap with 2.4 eV light, undoped GaN had a RL peak centered at 1.5 eV and carbon-doped GaN had a RL peak centered at 1.65 eV. PLE spectra of carbon-doped GaN, detecting at 1.56 eV, exhibited a strong, broad excitation band extending from about 2.1 to 2.8 eV with an unusual shape that may be due to two or more overlapping excitation bands. This RL PLE band was not observed in undoped GaN. We also demonstrate that PL spectra excited by below gap light in GaN films on sapphire substrates are readily contaminated by 1.6-1.8 eV and 2.1-2.5 eV chromium-related emission from the substrate. A complete characterization of the Cr emission and excitation bands for sapphire substrates enables the determination of the excitation and detection wavelengths required to obtain GaN PL and PLE spectra that are free of contributions from substrate emission.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 1999

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

1. Pankove, J. I. and Hutchby, J. A., J. Appl. Phys. 47, 5387 (1976).Google Scholar
2. Ogino, T. and Aoki, M., Jpn. J. Appl. Phys. 19, 2395 (1980).Google Scholar
3. Hofmann, D. M., Kovalev, D., Steude, G., Meyer, B. K., Hoffmann, A., Eckey, L., Heitz, R., Detchprom, T., Amano, H., and Akasaki, I., Phys. Rev. B 52, 16702 (1995).Google Scholar
4. Glaser, E. R., Kennedy, T. A., Doverspike, K., Rowland, L. B., Gaskill, D. K., Freitas, J. A. Jr, Khan, M. Asif, Olson, D. T., Kuznia, J. N., and Wickenden, D. K., Phys. Rev. B 51, 13326 (1995).Google Scholar
5. Zhang, R. and Kuech, T. F., Appl. Phys. Lett. 72, 1611 (1998).Google Scholar
6. Calleja, E., Sanchez, F. J., Basak, D., Sanchez-Garcia, M. A., Munoz, E., Izpura, I., Calle, F., Tijero, J. M. G., and Sanchez-Rojas, J. L., Phys. Rev. B 55, 4689 (1997).Google Scholar
7. Neugebauer, J., and Walle, C. G. Van de, Appl. Phys. Lett. 69, 503 (1996).Google Scholar
8. Molnar, R. J., Nichols, K. B., Maki, P., Brown, E. R., and Melngailis, I., Mater. Res. Soc. Symp. Proc., 378, 479 (1995).Google Scholar
9. Götz, W., Romano, L.T., Krusor, B.S., Johnson, N.M., and Molnar, R.J., Appl. Phys. Lett. 69, 242 (1996).Google Scholar
10. Rhee, S. J., Kim, S., Reuter, E. E., Bishop, S. G., and Molnar, R. J., Appl. Phys. Lett. 73, 2636 (1998).Google Scholar
11. Zhang, R. and Kuech, T. F. in Nitride Semiconductors, edited by Ponce, F. A., DenBaars, S. P., Meyer, B. K., Nakamura, S., and Strite, S. (Mat. Res. Soc. Proc. 482, Pittsburgh, PA, 1998) p. 709.Google Scholar
12. Kaufmann, U., Kunzer, M., Merz, C., Akasaki, I., and Amano, H. in Gallium Nitride and Related Materials, edited by Ponce, F. A., Dupuis, R. D., Nakamura, S., and Edmond, J. A. (Mat. Res. Soc. Proc. 395, Pittsburgh, PA, 1996) p. 633.Google Scholar
13. Fischer, S., Wetzel, C., Haller, E. E., and Meyer, B. K., Appl. Phys. Lett. 67, 1298 (1995).Google Scholar
14. Ilegems, M., Dingle, R., and Logan, R.A., J. Appl. Phys. 43, 3797 (1972).Google Scholar
15. Maier, K., Schneider, J., Akasaki, I., and Amano, H., Jpn. J. Appl. Phys. 32, 846 (1993).Google Scholar
16. Kaufmann, U., Kunzer, M., Maier, M., Obloh, H., Ramakrishnan, A., Santic, B., and Schlotter, P., Appl. Phys. Lett. 72, 1326 (1998).Google Scholar
17. Banas, M., Liu, G., Ramer, J., Zheng, K., Hersee, S., Malloy, K. in Gallium Nitride and Related Materials, edited by Ponce, F. A., Dupuis, R. D., Nakamura, S., and Edmond, J. A. (Mat. Res. Soc. Proc. 395, Pittsburgh, PA, 1996) p. 583.Google Scholar