Hydrogen Induced Yellow Luminescence in GaN Grown by Halide Vapor Phase Epitaxy

Abstract

Strong yellow luminescence (YL) was found in GaN grown by the halide vapor phase epitaxy technique, using an NH 3 -HCl-GaCl-N 2 -H 2 growth chemistry. The low-temperature (less than 100K) thermal activation energy of the yellow luminescence was determined to be ~18 meV, which indicates that a shallow donor, rather than a 'shallow' acceptor, was involved in observed radiative transition. The temperature dependence of the YL peak energy and the shape of the YL band imply that there are multiple recombination channels involved in the YL band. The ratio of integrated intensity of yellow-to-bandedge luminescence decreased with an increase of HCl (and hence GaCl and growth rate) in the growth ambient.

Analysis of the carbon-related “blue” luminescence in GaN

“…5 is interpreted as a decrease in the radiative efficiency of the YL band. A similar decrease in the YL intensity in the range 10-100 K was reported in n-type GaN by Zhang and Kuech, 13 who proposed ionization of shallow donors as the reason for the reduction in YL efficiency (assuming a DAP-type transition). Regardless of the origin of this effect, the differences between Figs.…”

Chemical origin of the yellow luminescence in GaN

“…III D͒ indicates that H is also involved in a complex giving rise to a luminescence band in the yellow spectral region. This result is consistent with previous reports by Zhang and Kuech, 20,22 who have shown that an introduction of H during GaN crystal growth results in a strong YL band with properties ͑such as temperature dependence of photoluminescence intensity͒ different from those of the C-related YL band. However, at this stage, the microscopic model for the H-related complex which gives rise to the above H-related YL band is not clear, and this issue requires additional systematic studies.…”

“…First of all, a number of reports, including this one, show that the chemical origin of YL is not simple, which may explain the apparent contradiction and complexity of the results on the properties of YL reported in the literature. 1 In agreement with previous reports, 20,22,25,34 our data shows that YL consists of several ͑at least two: Hand C-related͒ luminescence bands overlapping in the same spectral region. Hence several radiative recombination channels contribute to the YL band.…”

“…Hence several radiative recombination channels ͑at least two: H-and C-related͒ can contribute to the YL band, which is consistent with a number of previous studies. 20,22,25,34…”

The addition of Sb as a surfactant to GaN growth by metal organic vapor phase epitaxy

“…The YL band itself often appears to be a compound peak containing several broad peaks that can merge into the broad defect luminescence often noted. 31,32 …”