Deep-defect-induced quenching effects in semi-insulating GaN layers detected by photoelectrical spectroscopic techniques

Abstract

Quenching effects induced by additional below-bandgap illumination in undoped semi-insulating GaN were investigated using optical admittance spectroscopy (OAS) and photocurrent (PC) spectroscopy as well as optically excited, thermally stimulated currents (TSC). In OAS and PC, a decrease of defect-related signals due to the quenching light was observed. The thermal quenching of the defect band between 2.7 and 3.3 eV shows a good agreement with thermal emissions as measured by TSC, indicating the same defects cause the optical transitions in OAS/PC and the thermal transitions in TSC. The thermal emission in the temperature region between 250 and 300 K, which is responsible for the thermal quenching of the blue band (BB) in OAS, also shows an optical quenching under below-bandgap excitation.