Published online by Cambridge University Press: 28 September 2011
The 4d → 4f Fano resonances for various rare earth doped GaN thin films (RE = Gd, Er, Yb) were investigated using synchrotron photoemission spectroscopy. The resonant photoemission Fano profiles show that the major Gd and Er rare earth 4f weight is at about 5–6 eV below the valence band maximum, similar to the 4f weights in the valence band of many other rare earth doped semiconductors. For Yb, there is very little resonant enhancement of the valence band of Yb doped GaN, consistent with a largely 4f14 occupancy.