By using picosecond time-resolved photoluminescence we have measured the lifetime of excess charge carriers in GaN epitaxial layers grown on sapphire at temperatures up to 300 K. The decay time turns out to be dominated by trapping processes at low excitation levels. The radiative lifetime derived from our data is dominated by free excitons at temperatures below 150 K, but also clearly shows the gradual thermal dissociation of excitons at higher temperatures. From our data, we are able to determine the free exciton binding energy and the free carrier radiative recombination coefficient. By combining these data with optical absorption data, we find the interband momentum matrix element and an estimate for the hole effective mass, which is much larger than previously thought.

We analyzed the intrinsic defects and the n-type-carrier concentration generated by nitrogen ion implantation in n-type GaN by deep-level-transient spectroscopy and by capacitance–voltage measurements, respectively. The samples were grown on sapphire by metalorganic vapor-phase epitaxy. Nitrogen implantation with different ion doses and postimplantation rapid-thermal annealing (RTA) were investigated. We observed a growing n-type-carrier concentration and increasing defect concentration with increasing nitrogen ion implantation doses. After RTA the concentration of free carriers and deep levels as found in the as-grown state are restored. We also address contrarily seeming results from measurements of sheet resistance after N implantation published recently.

Steady-state and transient responses of a nonintentionally doped GaN photodetector are investigated. The kinetics of the photoresponse demonstrate the existence of deep levels in the gap, acting as recombination centers with an acceptor character. The photoresponse displays two competing processes: a bimolecular recombination, dominating at high optical power range, and a monomolecular recombination involving long response times. The observed persistent photoconductivity and the huge photoconductive gain are due to the small electron capture cross section and a much faster hole capture rate.

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A microscopic theory is used to analyze optical gain in InGaN∕GaN quantum wells (QW). Experimental data are obtained from Hakki–Paoli measurements on edge-emitting lasers for different carrier densities. The simulations are based on the solution of the quantum kinetic Maxwell–Bloch equations, including many-body effects and a self-consistent treatment of piezoelectric fields. The results confirm the validity of a QW gain description for this material system with a substantial inhomogeneous broadening due to structural variation. They also give an estimate of the nonradiative recombination rate.