Matthias Hocker

Development of semipolar (11-22) LEDs on GaN templates

We report on blue and green light-emitting-diodes (LEDs) grown on (11-22)-GaN templates. The templates were created by overgrowth on structured r-plane sapphire substrates. Low defect density, 100 mm diameter GaN templates were obtained by metal organic vapour phase epitaxy (VPE) and hydride VPE techniques. Chemical-mechanical polishing was used to obtain smooth surfaces for the subsequent growth of LED structures. Ohmic contacts to the p-type GaN were obtained despite the lower activated acceptor levels. The LEDs show excellent output power and fast carrier dynamics. Freestanding LEDs have been obtained by use of laser-lift-off. The work is the result of collaboration under the European Union funded ALIGHT project.

Spectroscopic study of semipolar (112¯2)-HVPE GaN exhibiting high oxygen incorporation

Spatially resolved luminescence and Raman spectroscopy investigations are applied to a series of (112¯2)-GaN samples grown by hydride vapor phase epitaxy (HVPE) grown over an initial layer deposited by metal organic vapor phase epitaxy on patterned sapphire substrates. Whereas these two differently grown GaN layers are crystallographically homogeneous, they differ largely in their doping level due to high unintentional oxygen uptake in the HVPE layer. This high doping shows up in luminescence spectra, which can be explained by a free-electron recombination band for which an analytical model considering the Burstein-Moss shift, conduction band tailing, and the bandgap renormalization is included. Secondary ion mass spectrometry, Raman spectroscopy, and Hall measurements concordantly determine the electron density to be above 1019 cm−3. In addition, the strain state is assessed by Raman spectroscopy and compared to a finite element analysis.

Three-dimensional cathodoluminescence characterization of a semipolar GaInN based LED sample

A semipolar GaInN based light-emitting diode (LED) sample is investigated by three-dimensionally resolved cathodoluminescence (CL) mapping. Similar to conventional depth-resolved CL spectroscopy (DRCLS), the spatial resolution perpendicular to the sample surface is obtained by calibration of the CL data with Monte-Carlo-simulations (MCSs) of the primary electron beam scattering. In addition to conventional MCSs, we take into account semiconductor-specific processes like exciton diffusion and the influence of the band gap energy. With this method, the structure of the LED sample under investigation can be analyzed without additional sample preparation, like cleaving of cross sections. The measurement yields the thickness of the p-type GaN layer, the vertical position of the quantum wells, and a defect analysis of the underlying n-type GaN, including the determination of the free charge carrier density. The layer arrangement reconstructed from the DRCLS data is in good agreement with the nominal parameters defined by the growth conditions.A semipolar GaInN based light-emitting diode (LED) sample is investigated by three-dimensionally resolved cathodoluminescence (CL) mapping. Similar to conventional depth-resolved CL spectroscopy (DRCLS), the spatial resolution perpendicular to the sample surface is obtained by calibration of the CL data with Monte-Carlo-simulations (MCSs) of the primary electron beam scattering. In addition to conventional MCSs, we take into account semiconductor-specific processes like exciton diffusion and the influence of the band gap energy. With this method, the structure of the LED sample under investigation can be analyzed without additional sample preparation, like cleaving of cross sections. The measurement yields the thickness of the p-type GaN layer, the vertical position of the quantum wells, and a defect analysis of the underlying n-type GaN, including the determination of the free charge carrier density. The layer arrangement reconstructed from the DRCLS data is in good agreement with the nominal parameters ...

Determination of axial and lateral exciton diffusion length in GaN by electron energy dependent cathodoluminescence

We demonstrate the application of low-temperature cathodoluminescence (CL) with high lateral, depth, and spectral resolution to determine both the lateral (i.e., perpendicular to the incident primary electron beam) and axial (i.e., parallel to the electron beam) diffusion length of excitons in semiconductor materials. The lateral diffusion length in GaN is investigated by the decrease of the GaN-related luminescence signal when approaching an interface to Ga(In)N based quantum well stripes. The axial diffusion length in GaN is evaluated from a comparison of the results of depth-resolved CL spectroscopy (DRCLS) measurements with predictions from Monte Carlo simulations on the size and shape of the excitation volume. The lateral diffusion length was found to be (95 ± 40) nm for nominally undoped GaN, and the axial exciton diffusion length was determined to be (150 ± 25) nm. The application of the DRCLS method is also presented on a semipolar (112¯2) sample, resulting in a value of (70 ± 10) nm in p-type GaN.

Optical Properties of ZnO/GaN/InGaN Core–Shell Nanorods

Upright ZnO/GaN/InGaN core–shell nanorods arrayed in a well defined pattern are very good candidates for sensing applications. In our approach, we grew single ZnO nanopillars on top of ordered GaN pyramids, which were subsequently overgrown with GaN and a single InGaN quantum well, followed by a final GaN barrier layer. Spatially and spectrally resolved low temperature cathodoluminescence was used to investigate the optical properties of the rods. We found the dominant quantum well luminescence to be well defined and homogeneously distributed, with a maximum intensity at the edges of the pillars. Although the hydrogen atmosphere during the nitride growth together with the elevated growth temperature should lead to complete desorption of the initial ZnO pillar template, we found evidence for ZnO relicts on the pillar surface, and for incorporation of Zn in GaN at the tips of the rods. Furthermore, we were able to distinguish between the luminescence contributions from the quantum well, Zn-doped GaN, and possible structural defects.

Formation of I2-type basal-plane stacking faults in In0.25Ga0.75N multiple quantum wells grown on a ( 101¯1) semipolar GaN template

In this work, I2-type basal-plane stacking faults (BSFs) were observed in In0.25Ga0.75N multiple quantum wells (MQWs) grown on a ( 101¯1) semipolar GaN template by high-resolution transmission electron microscopy. The structure and formation mechanisms of the I2-type BSFs at the GaN-InGaN interface were investigated in detail. The formation of the I2-type BSFs contributes to lattice mismatch accommodation within the InGaN QWs. Their density varies in different regions of the sample due to the inhomogeneous distribution of the In content in the InGaN layer. The relationship between the In content in the InxGa1-xN layer and the I2-type BSFs is discussed.

Stacking fault emission in GaN: Influence of n-type doping

We present spatially and spectrally resolved cathodoluminescence investigations on the cross section of semipolar (112¯2) gallium nitride epitaxial layers with high background doping level. The locally varying high carrier concentration leads in emission to a free electron recombination band (FERB) governed on the high energy side by conduction band filling. For the basal plane stacking fault (BSF) of type I1, typically emitting at ≈3.41 eV in low doped GaN, we find a blue shift in emission correlated to the FERB high energy tail. This shift can be perfectly modeled and understood in a quantum well model for the BSF, taking also into account the varying doping level in the barrier region. Thus, the carrier concentration can be finally calculated either from the actual position of the I1 BSF or alternatively from the FERB-related near band edge emission.