Elucidation of the excitation mechanism of Tb ions doped in AlxGa1−xN grown by OMVPE toward a wavelength-stable green emitter

• Published in: Journal of applied physics 2022-02, Vol.131 (7)
• Main Authors: Komai, R., Ichikawa, S., Hanzawa, H., Tatebayashi, J., Fujiwara, Y.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Applied physics; Bragg reflectors; Emission; Emitters; Epitaxial growth; Excitation; High temperature; Light sources; Luminescence; Metalorganic chemical vapor deposition; Optical properties; Quenching; Room temperature; Silicon dioxide; Vapor phase epitaxy; Vapor phases; Zirconium dioxide
• ISSN: 0021-8979; 1089-7550
• DOI: 10.1063/5.0080269

The trivalent terbium ion (Tb3+) emits ultra-stable visible light consisting of blue, green, yellow, and red. Tb-doped semiconductors are candidates for novel full-color light sources in next-generation displays. Particularly, Tb-doped AlxGa1−xN (AlxGa1−xN:Tb) has attracted much attention for device applications. We present the luminescence properties of AlxGa1−xN:Tb grown by the organometallic vapor phase epitaxy. At 15 K, emission related to the 5D4–7FJ (J = 3, 4, 5, 6) transitions is observed for AlxGa1−xN:Tb with x ≥ 0.03. Thermal quenching of emission originating from the 5D4–7FJ transition is suppressed for higher Al compositions, and the luminescence is clearly observed at room temperature for AlxGa1−xN:Tb with x ≥ 0.06. The small thermal quenching is attributed to the enhanced excitation to the 5D4 level of Tb3+ ions via the 4f–5d transition and not due to the suppression of energy back-transfer paths in excited Tb3+ ions. Although additional emission originating from the 5D3–7FJ transitions is observed at 15 K for AlxGa1−xN:Tb with x ≥ 0.15, it is not observed at room temperature because the excitation to the 5D3 level via the 4f–5d transition is less efficient at high temperature. For Al0.15Ga0.85N:Tb, monochromatic green light is demonstrated using a SiO2/ZrO2 distributed Bragg reflector.