K. B. Nam

Band structure and fundamental optical transitions in wurtzite AlN

With a recently developed unique deep ultraviolet picoseconds time-resolved photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy system and improved growth technique, we are able to determine the detailed band structure near the Γ point of wurtzite (WZ) AlN with a direct band gap of 6.12 eV. Combined with first-principles band structure calculations we show that the fundamental optical properties of AlN differ drastically from that of GaN and other WZ semiconductors. The discrepancy in energy band gap values of AlN obtained previously by different methods is explained in terms of the optical selection rules in AlN and is confirmed by measurement of the polarization dependence of the excitonic PL spectra.

Unique optical properties of AlGaN alloys and related ultraviolet emitters

Deep UV photoluminescence spectroscopy has been employed to study the optical properties of AlxGa1−xN alloys (0⩽x⩽1). The emission intensity with polarization of E⊥c and the degree of polarization were found to decrease with increasing x. This is a consequence of the fact that the dominant band edge emission in GaN (AlN) is with polarization of E⊥c(E∥c). Our experimental results suggest that the decreased emission efficiency in AlxGa1−xN alloys and related UV emitters could also be related with their unique polarization property, i.e., the intensity of light emission with polarization of E⊥c decreases with x. It is thus concluded that UV emitters with AlGaN alloys as active layers have very different properties from InGaN and other semiconductor emitters.

Mg acceptor level in AlN probed by deep ultraviolet photoluminescence

Mg-doped AlN epilayers were grown by metalorganic chemical vapor deposition on sapphire substrates. Deep UV picosecond time-resolved photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy has been employed to study the optical transitions in Mg-doped AlN epilayers. From PL emission spectra and the temperature dependence of the PL emission intensity, a binding energy of 0.51 eV for Mg acceptor in AlN was determined. Together with previous experimental results, the Mg acceptor activation energy in AlxGa1−xN as a function of the Al content (x) was extrapolated for the entire AlN composition range. The average hole effective mass in AlN was also deduced to be about 2.7 m0 from the experimental value of the Mg binding energy together with the use of the effective mass theory.

Deep impurity transitions involving cation vacancies and complexes in AlGaN alloys

Deep ultraviolet (UV) photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy has been employed to study deep impurity transitions in AlxGa1−xN (0⩽x⩽1) epilayers. Two groups of deep impurity transitions were observed, which are assigned to the recombination between shallow donors and two different deep level acceptors involving cation vacancies (Vcation) and Vcation complexes in AlxGa1−xN alloys. These acceptor levels are pinned to two different energy levels common to AlxGa1−xN alloys (0⩽x⩽1). The deep impurity transitions related with Vcation complexes were observed in AlxGa1−xN alloys between x=0 and 1, while those related with Vcation were only observed in AlxGa1−xN alloys between x=0.58 and 1. This points out to the fact that the formation of Vcation is more favorable in Al-rich AlGaN alloys, while Vcation complexes can be formed in the whole range of x between 0 and 1. The implications of our findings to the UV optoelectronic devices using AlGaN alloys are also discussed.

Deep ultraviolet picosecond time-resolved photoluminescence studies of AlN epilayers

AlN epilayers with high optical qualities have been obtained by metalorganic chemical vapor deposition on sapphire substrates. Deep UV picosecond time-resolved photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy has been employed to study the optical transitions in AlN epilayers. Two PL emission lines associated with the donor bound exciton (D0X, or I2) and free exciton (FX) transitions have been observed, from which the binding energy of the donor bound excitons in AlN epilayers was determined to be around 16 meV. Time-resolved PL measurements revealed that the recombination lifetimes of the I2 and free exciton transitions in AlN epilayers were around 80 and 50 ps, respectively. The temperature dependencies of the free exciton radiative decay lifetime and emission intensity were investigated, from which a value of about 80 meV for the free exciton binding energy in AlN epilayer was deduced. This value is believed to be the largest free exciton binding energy ever reported in semiconductors, implying excitons in AlN are ...

Band-edge photoluminescence of AlN epilayers

AlN epilayers with high optical qualities have been grown on sapphire substrates by metalorganic chemical vapor deposition. Deep ultraviolet photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy has been employed to probe the optical quality as well as optical transitions in the grown epilayers. Band-edge emission lines have been observed both at low and room temperatures and are 6.017 and 6.033 eV at 10 K. It was found that the peak (integrated) emission intensity of the deep impurity related transition is only about 1% (3%) of that of the band-edge transition at room temperature. The PL emission properties of AlN have been compared with those of GaN. It was shown that the optical quality as well as quantum efficiency of AlN epilayers is as good as that of GaN.

Optical and electrical properties of Al-rich AlGaN alloys

AlxGa1−xN alloys with x up to 0.7 were grown by metalorganic chemical vapor deposition and their optical properties were investigated by deep UV time-resolved photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy. Our results revealed that both the activation energy of the PL emission intensity and the PL decay lifetime exhibit sharp increases at x of around 0.4. The results can be understood in terms of the sharp increase of the impurity binding energy or the carrier/exciton localization energy around x=0.4. A three orders of magnitude increase in resistivity of undoped AlGaN alloys at x of around 0.4 was also observed, which further corroborated the optical results.

Growth and optical properties of InxAlyGa1−x−yN quaternary alloys

InxAlyGa1−xN quaternary alloys with different In and Al compositions were grown by metalorganic chemical vapor deposition. Optical properties of these quaternary alloys were studied by picosecond time-resolved photoluminescence. It was observed that the dominant optical transition at low temperatures in InxAlyGa1−xN quaternary alloys was due to localized exciton recombination, while the localization effects in InxAlyGa1−xN quaternary alloys were combined from those of InGaN and AlGaN ternary alloys with comparable In and Al compositions. Our studies have revealed that InxAlyGa1−xN quaternary alloys with lattice matched with GaN epilayers (y≈4.8x) have the highest optical quality. More importantly, we can achieve not only higher emission energies but also higher emission intensity (or quantum efficiency) in InxAlyGa1−x−yN quaternary alloys than that of GaN. The quantum efficiency of InxAlyGa1−xN quaternary alloys was also enhanced significantly over AlGaN alloys with a comparable Al content. These results ...In{sub x}Al{sub y}Ga{sub 1-x}N quaternary alloys with different In and Al compositions were grown by metalorganic chemical vapor deposition. Optical properties of these quaternary alloys were studied by picosecond time-resolved photoluminescence. It was observed that the dominant optical transition at low temperatures in In{sub x}Al{sub y}Ga{sub 1-x}N quaternary alloys was due to localized exciton recombination, while the localization effects in In{sub x}Al{sub y}Ga{sub 1-x}N quaternary alloys were combined from those of InGaN and AlGaN ternary alloys with comparable In and Al compositions. Our studies have revealed that In{sub x}Al{sub y}Ga{sub 1-x}N quaternary alloys with lattice matched with GaN epilayers (y{approx}4.8x) have the highest optical quality. More importantly, we can achieve not only higher emission energies but also higher emission intensity (or quantum efficiency) in In{sub x}Al{sub y}Ga{sub 1-x-y}N quaternary alloys than that of GaN. The quantum efficiency of In{sub x}Al{sub y}Ga{sub 1-x}N quaternary alloys was also enhanced significantly over AlGaN alloys with a comparable Al content. These results strongly suggested that In{sub x}Al{sub y}Ga{sub 1-x-y}N quaternary alloys open an avenue for the fabrication of many optoelectronic devices such as high efficient light emitters and detectors, particularly in the ultraviolet region.

Achieving highly conductive AlGaN alloys with high Al contents

Si-doped n-type AlxGa1−xN alloys were grown by metalorganic chemical vapor deposition on sapphire substrates. We have achieved highly conductive n-type AlxGa1−xN alloys for x up to 0.7. A conductivity (resistivity) value of 6.7 Ω−1 cm−1 (0.15 Ω cm) (with free electron concentration 2.1×1018 cm−3 and mobility of 20 cm2/Vs at room temperature) has been achieved for Al0.65Ga0.35N, as confirmed by Hall-effect measurements. Our experimental results also revealed that (i) the conductivity of AlxGa1−xN alloys continuously increases with an increase of Si doping level for a fixed value of Al content and (ii) there exists a critical Si-dopant concentration of about 1×1018 cm−3 that is needed to convert insulating AlxGa1−xN with high Al content (x⩾0.4) to n-type.

Properties of Co-, Cr-, or Mn-implanted AlN

AlN layers grown on Al2O3 substrates by metalorganic chemical vapor desposition were implanted with high doses (3×1016 cm−2, 250 keV) of Co+, Cr+, or Mn+. Band-edge photoluminescence intensity at ∼6 eV was significantly reduced by the implant process and was not restored by 950 °C annealing. A peak was observed at 5.89 eV in all the implanted samples. Impurity transitions at 3.0 and 4.3 eV were observed both in implanted and unimplanted AlN. X-ray diffraction showed good crystal quality for the 950 °C annealed implanted samples, with no ferromagnetic second phases detected. The Cr- and Co-implanted AlN showed hysteresis present at 300 K from magnetometry measurements, while the Mn-implanted samples showed clear loops up to ∼100 K. The coercive field was <250 Oe in all cases.