Mechanism for Radiative Recombination in In0.15Ga0.85N/GaN Multiple Quantum Well Structures

Abstract

AbstractWe present a study of the radiative recombination in In0.15Ga0.85N/GaN multiple quantum well samples, where the conditions of growth of the InGaN quantum layers were varied. The piezoelectric field as well as short range potential fluctuations are screened via different mechanisms by donor electrons and excited electron-hole pairs. These effects account for a large part of the spectral shift with donor doping (an upward shift of the photoluminescence (PL) peak up to 0.2 eV is observed for a Si donor density of 2 × 1018 cm-3 in the well), with excitation intensity and with delay time after pulsed excitation (also shifts up to 0.2 eV). It appears like 2-dimensional screening of short range potential fluctuations is needed to fully explain the data. We suggest that excitons as well as shallow donors are at least partly impact ionized by electrons in the rather strong lateral potential fluctuations.