Ultraviolet electroluminescence in GaN/AlGaN single-heterojunction light-emitting diodes grown on Si(111)

Abstract

GaN:Mg/AlGaN single-heterojunction light-emitting diodes were grown on Si(111) substrates by plasma-assisted molecular-beam epitaxy. High-quality Mg-doped GaN layers with hole concentrations up to 1.2×1017 holes/cm3 and intense low-temperature photoluminescence, which increases in annealed samples, were obtained. Smooth AlGaN layers, with surface roughness below 5 nm, were used as buffer layers. Continuous-wave room-temperature ultraviolet electroluminescence was observed at 365 nm with a full width at half maximum of 8 nm. An estimated optical power output of 1.5 μW was achieved under 15 V/35 mA operation.