MBE-grown 232–270 nm deep-UV LEDs using monolayer thin binary GaN/AlN quantum heterostructures

Abstract

Electrically injected deep ultra-violet emission is obtained using monolayer thin GaN/AlN quantum structures as active regions. The emission wavelength is tuned by controlling the thickness of ultrathin GaN layers with monolayer precision using plasma assisted molecular beam epitaxy. Single peaked emission spectra are achieved with narrow full width at half maximum for three different light emitting diodes operating at 232 nm, 246 nm, and 270 nm. 232 nm (5.34 eV) is the shortest electroluminescence (EL) emission wavelength reported so far using GaN as the light emitting material and employing polarization-induced doping.