Defect-related luminescence of GaN:Zn films thermally treated in a radio-frequency ammonia plasma

Abstract

The effect of thermal annealing in nitrogen radicals obtained by the treatment of NH3 in a radio-frequency discharge on the luminescence properties of GaN:Zn films grown by MOCVD/hydride epitaxy on sapphire (0001) substrates is investigated. As the thermal treatment temperature was increased, a steady weakening of the violet (2.88 eV) and near-edge (3.48 eV) photoluminescence bands was observed. As a result of the thermal treatment in nitrogen radicals at 500–750°C, new bands that peaked at 3.27 and 3.42 eV were detected; the intensities of these bands increased with increasing treatment temperature. The mechanism of formation and the origin of all the bands are analyzed comprehensively. It is found that the luminescence bands at 2.88, 3.42, and 3.27 eV are characteristic of the GaN films obtained by practically each technology and are associated with the simple structural defects. The participation of O in the formation of the band at 3.42 eV is proved experimentally.