Cathodoluminescence microscopy and spectroscopy of GaN epilayers microstructured using surface charge lithography

The radiation hardness of as-grown and electrochemically nanostructured GaN epilayers against heavy ion irradiation was studied by means of photoluminescence (PL) and resonant Raman scattering (RRS) spectroscopy. A nanostructuring induced enhancement of the GaN radiation hardness by more than one order of magnitude was derived from the PL and RRS analyses. These findings show that electrochemical nanostructuring of GaN layers is a potentially attractive technology for the development of radiation hard devices.

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Cathodoluminescence ͑CL͒ microscopy and spectroscopy have been used to investigate the optical properties of GaN microstructures patterned by Ar + ion irradiation and subsequent photoelectrochemical ͑PEC͒ etching. Monochromatic CL images and CL spectra reveal an enhancement of several defect-related emission bands in a 10 m wide area around each microstructure. In addition, columnar nanostructures and nanoetch pits were found in the PEC etched areas. CL emission of the nanocolumns is dominated by free electron to acceptor transitions, while excitonic luminescence prevails in the rest of the etched GaN layers. Investigation of the sidewalls of the microstructures reveals that a CL emission band centered at about 3.41 eV, attributed to excitons bound to structural defects, is effectively suppressed after PEC etching only in the observed nanocolumns.

We report on maskless fabrication of photonic crystal (PhC) circuits based on ultrathin (d ~ 15 nm) nanoperforated GaN membranes exhibiting a triangular lattice arrangement of holes with diameters of 150 nm. In recent years, we have proposed and developed a cost-effective technology for GaN micro-and nanostructuring, the so-called surface charge lithography (SCL), which opened wide possibilities for a controlled fabrication of GaN ultrathin membranes. SCL is a maskless approach based on direct writing of negative charges on the surface of a semiconductor by a focused ion beam (FIB). These charges shield the material against photo-electrochemical (PEC) etching. Ultrathin GaN membranes suspended on specially designed GaN microstructures have been fabricated using a technological route based on SCL with two selected doses of ion beam treatment. Calculation of the dispersion law in nanoperforated membranes in the approximation of scalar waves is indicative of the occurrence of surface and bulk modes, and there is a range of frequencies where only surface modes can exist. Advantages of the occurrence of two types of modes in ultrathin nanoperforated GaN membranes from the point of view of their incorporation in photonic and optoelectronic integrated circuits are discussed. Along with this, we present the results of a comparative analysis of persistent photoconductivity (PPC) and optical quenching (OQ) effects occurring in continuous and nanoperforated ultrathin GaN suspended membranes, and assess the mechanisms behind these phenomena.