Photoluminescence in Er-implanted AlGaN/GaN superlattices and GaN epilayers

• Published in: Physica. B, Condensed matter Condensed matter, 2003-12, Vol.340-342, p.1108-1112
• Main Authors: Sobolev, N.A., Emel’yanov, A.M., Sakharov, V.I., Serenkov, I.T., Shek, E.I., Besyul`kin, A.I., Lundin, W.V., Shmidt, N.M., Usikov, A.S., Zavarin, E.E.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: AlGaN/GaN; Luminescence; Superlattice
• ISSN: 0921-4526; 1873-2135
• DOI: 10.1016/j.physb.2003.09.177

Photoluminescence (PL), structural and electrophysical properties of Al0.26Ga0.74N/GaN superlattices grown by metal-organic chemical vapor deposition, implanted by erbium (Er) ions with 1MeV energy and 1×1015cm−2 dose as well as annealed at 700–1100°C for 4min in argon have been investigated. A comparison of the properties of the superlattices with that of the GaN epilayers grown, implanted and annealed at the same conditions is also given. The Er-related peak with a maximum at λ∼1.54μm dominated and the defect-related emission band at λ∼1–1.4μm was observed in the PL spectra of both types of samples. When the measurement temperature was increased from 80 to 300K, practically the same temperature quenching of the Er-related intensity was observed in the superlattices and GaN epilayers implanted and annealed at the same conditions. The Er-related intensity at 300K increased monotonically as the annealing temperature was raised from 700 to 1000°C, but the intensity in the superlattices was higher by several times than that in the epilayers. A decrease of the Er-related PL intensity in the superlattice after annealing at 1100°C is associated with the formation of non-radiative recombination centers.