Recombination mechanism of photoluminescence in InN epilayers

We report an investigation of the recombination mechanism for photoluminescence (PL) in InN epilayers grown by molecular beam epitaxy and metal-organic chemical vapor deposition with a wide range of free electron concentrations from 3.5×10¹⁷-5×10¹⁹ cm⁻³. We found that the PL spectra are strongly blueshifted with increasing excitation intensity. For all the samples studied, the exponent of the relationship between the integrated PL intensity and the excitation intensity is very close to unity and independent of the temperature. By assuming Gaussian fluctuations of the random impurity potential, calculation based on the ‘free-to-bound’ recombination model can be used to interpret our results very well and it correctly reproduces the development of the total PL peak shift as a function of carrier concentration. It is concluded that the PL transition mechanism in InN epifilms can be characterized as the recombination of free electrons in the conduction band to nonequilibrium holes in the valence band tail.     

Temperature-dependent optical properties of wurtzite InN

Optical properties and carrier recombination dynamics of a series of InN epilayers, with varying free electron concentrations, grown by molecular beam epitaxy were studied by steady-state photoluminescence (PL) and time-resolved differential transmission spectroscopy. At room temperature strong PL around 0.7 eV was observed. Temperature-dependent PL measurements show a redshift of the peak energy and a linear increase of the emission linewidth with temperature. Furthermore, our results demonstrate that room temperature carrier lifetimes are inversely proportional to the free electron concentrations for theses samples. Carrier lifetime as long as 1.3 ns was observed in the best quality sample, indicating a highly improved crystalline quality.     

Abnormal Energy Dependence of Photoluminescence Decay Time in InGaN Epilayer

We employ photoluminescence (PL) and time-resolved PL to study exciton localization effect in InGaN epilayers.By measuring the exciton decay time as a function of the monitored emission energy at different temperatures,we have found unusual behaviour of the energy dependence in the PL decay process. At low temperature, the measured PL decay time increases with the emission energy. It decreases with the emission energy at 200K, and remains nearly constant at the intermediate temperature of 12OK. We have studied the dot size effect on the radiative recombination time by calculating the temperature dependence of the exciton recombination lifetime in quantum dots, and have found that the observed behaviour can be well correlated to the exciton localization in quantum dots. This suggestion is further supported by steady state PL results.     

InN的光致发光特性研究

研究了利用金属有机化学气相淀积生长的氮化铟薄膜的光致发光特性. 由于氮化铟本身具有很高的背景载流子浓度, 费米能级在导带之上, 通过能带关系图以及相关公式拟合光致发光图谱可以得到生长的氮化铟的带隙为0.67 eV, 并且可以计算出相应的载流子浓度为n=5.4×10¹⁸ cm^-3, 从而找到了一种联系光致发光谱与载流子浓度两者的方法. 另外通过测量变温条件下氮化铟的发光特性, 研究了发光峰位以及发光强度随温度的变化关系, 发现光致发光强度随温度的升高逐渐降低, 发光峰位随温度的升高只是红移, 并没有出现"S"形的非单调变化, 这种差异可能是由于光致发光谱的半高宽过高导致, 同时也可能与载流子浓度以及内建电场强度有关. 关键词： 氮化铟 金属有机化学气相淀积 光致发光 载流子浓度     

Monitoring laser cleaning of titanium alloys by probe beam reflection and emission spectroscopy

The energy relaxation of electrons in InN epilayers is investigated by excitation- and electric field-dependent photoluminescence (PL). From the high-energy tail of PL, we determine the electron temperature of the hot carriers. It was found that the electron temperature variation can be explained by a model in which the longitudinal optical (LO)-phonon emission is the dominant energy relaxation process. The LO-phonon lifetime is fitted to be 0.89 ps, which is higher than the theoretical phonon lifetime. This deviation is attributed to the presence of the non-equilibrium hot-phonon effects. PACS 78.55.Cr; 78.66.Fd; 61.66.Fn; 78.20.Jq; 63.20.kd     

Influence of Different Interlayers on Growth Mode and Properties of InN by MOVPE

We grow InN epilayers on different interlayers by metal organic vapour phase epitaxy （MOVPE） method, and investigate the effect of interlayer on the properties and growth mode of InN films. Three InN samples were deposited on nitrided sapphire, low-temperature InN （LT-InN） and high-temperature GaN （HT-GaN）, respectively. The InN layer grown directly on nitrided sapphire owns the narrowest x-ray diffraction rocking curve （XRC） width of 300 aresee among the three samples, and demonstrates a two-dimensional （2D） step-flow-like lateral growth mode, which is much different from the three-dimensional （3D） pillar-like growth mode of LT-InN and HT-GaN buffered samples. It seems that mismatch tensile strain is helpful for the lateral epitaxy of InN film, whereas compressive strain promotes the vertical growth of InN films.     

Anomalous optical transitions in AlInGaN/GaN heterostructures grown by metalorganic chemical vapor deposition

Using temperature-dependent photoluminescence (PL) measurements, we report a comprehensive study on optical transitions in Al_yIn_xGa_1−x−yN epilayer with target composition, x=0.01 and y=0.07 and varying epilayer thickness of 40, 65 and 100 nm. In these quaternary alloys, we have observed an anomalous PL temperature dependence such as an S-shape band-edge PL peak shift and a W-shape spectral broadening with an increase in temperature. With an increase in excitation power density, the emission peak from the AlInGaN epilayers shows a blue shift at 100 K and a substantial red shift at room temperature. This is attributed to the localization of excitons at the band-tail states at low temperature. Compared to 40 and 65 nm thick epilayers, the initial blue shift observed with low excitation power from 100 nm thick AlInGaN epilayer at room temperature is caused by the existence of deeper localized states due to confinement effects arising from higher In and Al incorporation. The subsequent red shift of the PL peak can be attributed by free motion of delocalized carriers that leads to bandgap renormalization by screening. Due to competing effects of exciton and free carrier recombination processes, such behavior of optical transitions leads to two different values of exponent ‘k’ in the fitting of PL emission intensity as a function of excitation power.     

Evaluation of bandgap energy and carrier density of InN nanocolumns

We have measured the optical properties of wurtzite InN nanocolumns and film by photoluminescence (PL) measurements at temperatures from 5 to 300 K and analyzed the PL spectra by fitting with the free-electron recombination bound (FERB) model. For the top-linked InN nanocolumns, we observed strong PL intensity compared to the InN film sample. The PL spectra were asymmetrical with low-energy tails and a red-shift of the PL peak energy position was observed with increasing temperature. However, for the separated InN nanocolumns, we observed weak PL intensity and symmetrical PL spectra. Analyzing the spectra shape of the top-linked InN nanocolumns at 5 K using the FERB model, we evaluated the intrinsic bandgap energy and carrier density of InN nanocolumns to be 0.69 eV and 2.5×10¹⁷ cm⁻³, respectively.     

Photoluminescence characteristics of GaAsSbN/GaAs epilayers lattice-matched to GaAs substrates

The photoluminescence (PL) characteristics of GaAsSbN/GaAs epilayers grown by molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) are carefully investigated. The results show that antimony (Sb) incorporation into GaNAs material has less influence on the N-induced localization states. For the same N concentration, GaAsSbN material can reach an emission wavelength near 1.3 μm more easily than GaInNAs material. The rapid thermal annealing (RTA) experiment shows that the annealing induced rearrangement of atoms and related blueshift in GaAsSbN epilayers are smaller than those in GaNAs and GaInNAs epilayers. The GaAsSbN material can keep a longer emission wavelength near 1.3 μm-emission even after the annealing treatment. Raman spectroscopy analysis gives further insight into the structure stability of GaAsSbN material after annealing.     

Band transitions in wurtzite GaN and InN determined by valence electron energy loss spectroscopy

Valence electron energy loss spectroscopy (VEELS) was applied to determine band transitions in wurtzite InN, deposited by molecular beam epitaxy on (0001) sapphire substrates or GaN buffer layers. The GaN buffer layer was used as VEELS reference. At room temperature a band transition for wurtzite InN was found at (1.7±0.2 eV) and for wurtzite GaN at (3.3±0.2 eV) that are ascribed to the fundamental bandgap. Additional band transitions could be identified at higher and lower energy losses. The latter may be related to transitions involving defect bands. In InN, neither oxygen related crystal phases nor indium metal clusters were observed in the areas of the epilayers investigated by VEELS. Consequently, the obtained results mainly describe the properties of the InN host crystal.     

Effect of carrier concentration of InN on the transport behavior of InN/GaN heterostructure based Schottky junctions

We present the study involving the dependence of carrier concentration of InN films, grown on GaN templates using the plasma assisted molecular beam epitaxy system, on growth temperature. The influence of InN carrier concentration on the electrical transport behavior of InN/GaN heterostructure based Schottky junctions is also discussed. The optical absorption edge of InN film was found to be strongly dependent on carrier concentration, and was described by Kane's k.p model, with non-parabolic dispersion relation for carrier in the conduction band. The position of the Fermi-level in InN films was modulated by the carrier concentration in the InN films. The barrier height of the heterojunctions as estimated from I–V characteristic was also found to be dependent on the carrier concentration of InN.     

应力和掺杂对Mg:GaN薄膜光致发光光谱影响的研究

对化学气相沉积(MOCVD)法在宝石衬底上生长的Mg掺杂GaN薄膜的表面及其GaN缓冲层的光致发光(PL)光谱进行了测量，用Raman光谱和x射线衍射(XRD)对GaN薄膜中的应力进行确定，通过PL光谱中的中性束缚激子跃迁能量的变化确定薄膜中应力的影响，从而研究Mg掺杂对p型GaN的DAP跃迁影响规律. 关键词： 光致发光 应力 Raman光谱     

On factors affecting alloy clustering in In0.52Al0.48As layers grown on InP substrates by molecular beam epitaxy

Growth of In_0.52Al_0.48As epilayers on InP (100) substrates by molecular beam epitaxy at a wide range of substrate temperatures (470 - 550 °C) and V/III flux ratios is carried out. Low temperature photoluminescence (PL) and double-axis X-ray diffraction (XRD) measurements showed a strong dependence of the PL and XRD linewidths and lattice-mismatch on the substrate temperature. Minimum PL and XRD linewidths and lattice-mismatch were found to occur at substrate temperatures between ≈ 500 - 520 °C. The XRD intensity ratios (I_epi/I_sub) were generally higher within the same substrate temperature range at which the lattice-mismatch was the lowest. XRD rocking-curves of samples grown at low temperatures showed the main epilayer peak to be a composition of smaller peaks which can strongly indicate the presence of alloy clustering. PL spectra taken at increasing temperatures showed the quenching of the main emission peak followed by the evolution of a distinct peak at lower energy, possibly associated with carrier localization due to the presence of lattice disorder. Within the range of V/III flux ratios investigated (32 to 266), the lowest PL linewidth of 14 meV was recorded for the samples grown at a V/III ratio of 160. The lattice-mismatch between the epilayer and the substrate for these samples was also found to be relatively insensitive to changes in the V/III flux ratios.     

Low‐temperature photoluminescence studies of In‐rich InAlN nanocolumns

High‐quality In_x Al_1–xN (0.71 ≤ x_In ≤ 1.00) nanocolumns (NCs) have been grown on Si(111) substrates by rf‐plasma‐assisted molecular‐beam epitaxy (rf‐MBE). Low‐temperature photoluminescence (LT‐PL) spectra of various In‐rich InAlN NCs were measured at 4 K and single peak PL emissions were observed in the wavelength region from 0.89 µm to 1.79 µm. Temperature‐dependent PL spectra of In_0.92Al_0.08N NCs were studied and the so‐called “S‐shape” (decrease–increase–decrease) PL peak energy shift was observed with increasing temperature. This shift indicates the carrier localization induced by the In segregation effect and is different from the anomalous blue shift frequently observed in InN films and nanowires with high residual carrier concentra‐ tions. (© 2012 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Optical properties of Zn0.5Cd0.5Se thin films grown on InP by molecular beam epitaxy

We report photoluminescence (PL) and reflectivity measurements of Zn_0.5Cd_0.5Se epilayers grown by molecular beam epitaxy on InP substrates. The low-temperature PL spectra are dominated by asymmetric lines, which can be deconvoluted into two Gaussian peaks with a separation of ∼8 meV. The behavior of these peaks is studied as a function of excitation intensity and temperature, revealing that these are free exciton (FE) and bound exciton emission lines. Two lower energy emission lines are also observed and assigned to the first and second longitudinal optical phonon replicas of the FE emission. The temperature dependence of the intensity, line width, and energy of the dominant emission lines are described by an Arrhenius plot, a Bose-Einstein type relationship, Varshni's and Bose-Einstein equations, respectively.     

Photoluminescence properties of selectively grown InN microcrystals

We investigated the photoluminescence (PL) properties of regularly arranged N‐polar InN microcrystals with m ‐plane sidewall facets. We observed narrow PL emission at 0.678 eV with a linewidth of ～14 meV at 4 K and a clear band‐filling effect with increasing excitation power. We also observed a normal red shift of the PL peak energy as large as 51 meV (～150 nm) with increasing temperature from 4 to 300 K, similar to that observed for non‐degenerated semiconductors. The integrated PL intensity ratio I_300K/I_4K was measured to be 6.1%. These results indicate that InN microcrystals have a low residual carrier density and excellent optical properties without being adversely affected by surface electron accumulation, despite their relatively high surface area. (© 2012 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Surface acoustic waves and elastic constants of InN epilayers determined by Brillouin scattering

The surface acoustic wave velocity in InN has been experimentally determined by means of Brillouin scattering experiments on c ‐ and m ‐face epilayers. From simulations based on the Green's function formalism we determine the shear elastic constants c₆₆ and c₄₄ and propose a complete set of elastic constants for wurtzite InN. The analysis of the sagittal and azimuthal dependence of the surface acoustic wave velocity indicates a slightly different elastic behavior of the m ‐face sample that basically affects the c₄₄ elastic constant. (© 2012 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Band bending of n‐InN epilayers and exact solution of the classical Thomas–Fermi equation

The exact solution of the Thomas–Fermi equation for a planar accumulation layer of a degenerate semiconductor is presented. The obtained results are compared with theoretical literature data. The applicability of the solution is demonstrated by using results of electrochemical capacitance–voltage measurements and photoluminescence data for n‐InN epilayers. It has been found that the difference between the electron concentrations estimated from the Hall and photoluminescence measurements is a measure of the electron content in the accumulation layer with acceptable accuracy. (© 2007 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

In插入层对硅衬底外延InN晶体质量和光学特性的影响

在Si（111）衬底上分别预沉积0,0.1,0.5,1 nm厚度的In插入层后,采用等离子辅助分子束外延法制备了纤锌矿结构的InN材料,结合X射线衍射（XRD）、扫描电子显微镜（SEM）、吸收谱及光致发光谱研究了不同厚度的In插入层对外延InN晶体质量和光学特性的影响。XRD和SEM的测试结果表明,在Si衬底上预沉积0.5 nm厚的In插入层有利于改善外延InN材料的形貌,提高材料的晶体质量。吸收谱和光致发光谱测试表明,0.5 nm厚In插入层对应的InN样品吸收边蓝移程度最小,光致发射谱半峰宽最窄,并且有最高的带边辐射复合发光效率。可见,引入适当厚度的InN插入层可以改善Si衬底上外延InN材料的晶体质量和光学特性。     

Characteristics of high Al content AlGaN grown by pulsed atomic layer epitaxy

Al_0.91Ga_0.09N epilayers have been obtained by pulsed atomic layer epitaxy (PALE) technique on sapphire (0 0 0 1) substrates. Deep ultraviolet (DUV) photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy and Raman scattering spectrum have been employed to study the optical transitions in Al_0.91Ga_0.09N epilayers. We found the exciton-phonon interaction by fitting the asymmetric PL peak, in which the transverse optical phonon (TO) and the longitudinal optical (LO) phonon are the main contributor. The abnormal S-shaped temperature dependence of the PL band peak is less pronounced or has disappeared. Further analysis shows that there possibly exists a high density of deeper localized state (∼90 meV) in Al_0.91Ga_0.09N. The formation of these localized states provides a favorable condition for efficient light emission.