A study of Mg doping of AlxGa1−xN up to x∼50% using microstructural and electrical probes is reported. The viability of effective p-type doping is defined by a minimum concentration of Mg required to offset the background impurities and, more importantly, a maximum limit above which inversion domains and structural defects start to nucleate, accompanied by a rapid degradation of electrical transport. Resistivity of 10 Ω cm and free hole concentrations above 1017cm−3 are achieved for AlxGa1−xN up to x∼50% within an optimum window of Mg incorporation.

Vertically injected thin-film ultraviolet light-emitting diodes operating at 325 and 280nm are demonstrated. Low-temperature AlN interlayers allow crack-free growth of AlxGa1−xN with compositions up to x=0.53 on GaN-on-sapphire templates. The GaN layer allows laser-induced separation of the highly strained epi stack from the sapphire substrate with high yield. Cathode contacts are formed on nitrogen-face AlxGa1−xN (up to x=0.53) and allow vertical injection of current into the active region. Controlled roughening of the nitrogen-face AlxGa1−xN is also demonstrated through photoelectrochemical etching and results in >2.5× light extraction gain for 325 and 280nm devices.

We demonstrate a compact system, incorporating a 32-element linear array of ultraviolet (290 nm and 340 nm) light-emitting diodes (LEDs) and a multi-anode photomultiplier tube, to the in-flight fluorescence detection of aerosolized particles, here containing the biological molecules tryptophan and NADH. This system illustrates substantial advances in the growth and fabrication of new semiconductor UV light emitting devices and an evolution in packaging details for LEDs tailored to the bio-aerosol warning problem. Optical engineering strategies are employed which take advantage of the size and versatility of light-emitting diodes to develop a truly compact fluorescence detector.

We report flexible synthesis of group III–nitride nanowires and nanostructures by metalorganic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) via a catalytic vapor-liquid-solid (VLS) growth mechanism. Supersaturation and surface stoichiometry strongly influence the stability of liquid droplets and growth selectivity. To facilitate and sustain the VLS growth, indium catalyst is introduced based on thermodynamic consideration. The employment of mesoporous molecular sieves (MCM-41) helps to prevent the coalescence of catalyst droplets and to promote nucleation statistics. Both GaN and AlN nanowires have been synthesized using MOCVD. Three-dimensional AlN∕GaN trunk-branch nanostructures are reported to illustrate the versatility of incorporating the VLS mechanism into MOCVD process.

Growth of ternary AlGaN nanowires using metalorganic chemical vapor deposition is investigated. Structural, chemical, and optical characterization at nanoscopic scale is carried out by high resolution transmission electron microscopy, x-ray energy dispersive spectroscopy, and spatially resolved cathodoluminescence. Spontaneous formation of Al(Ga)N∕GaN coaxial nanowires with distinct emission at 370 nm is observed. It is identified that the interplay between surface kinetics and thermodynamics facilitates the catalytic growth of GaN core while a limited surface diffusion of Al adatoms leads to nonselective, vapor-solid growth of Al(Ga)N sheath. The observation points to a fundamental difference in nanosynthesis using near-equilibrium and nonequilibrium techniques.