Localization of nonequilibrium current carriers close to Cr ions in ZnSe:Cr single crystals

The photoluminescence (PL) of Cr-doped ZnSe single crystals is investigated in a temperature interval from 83 up to 297 K and in a wavelengths region from 440 up to 2700 nm. The doping was carried out during a high-temperature annealing of ZnSe crystals in CrSe vapors and in chrome chlorides medium. It is revealed that the doping results in an appearance of both luminescence bands located at 0.54, 0.97, and 2.15 μm and edge luminescence bands located at 454, 457, and 460 nm at 83 K. It is shown that the PL bands located at 457 and 460 nm are caused by the radiative recombination with the participation of holes located on hydrogen-like orbits close to Cr⁺ centers, having a binding energy of 99 meV. The excitons bound with centers responsible for the radiation located at 0.54 μm and having a binding energy of 65-68 meV are considered. The energy of a lattice relaxation at recharge of centers responsible for green radiation is estimated and equals 40-170 meV.