Local vibrational modes and compensation effects in Mg‐doped GaN

Abstract

The compensation and self-compensation effects in Mg-doped GaN is studied by low-temperature photoluminescence and Raman spectroscopy using a series of samples with different Mg concentrations. Strongly doped samples are found to be highly compensated in electrical measurement. The compensation mechanism is directly related to the incorporation of Mg leading to the additional formation of three different deep donor levels. Furthermore, hydrogen forms defect complexes with Mg and compensates the acceptor states. These complexes were observed as local vibrational modes in Raman spectra in the range of 2200 cm−1. The direct incorporation of Mg can be controlled by local vibrational modes in the region of GaN host phonons. Investigating the intensity dependence of the different Mg–H complexes and the LVM of activated Mg the Raman spectra give a clear direct evidence of the degree of compensation and p-conductivity. (© 2003 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)