Articles you may be interested inDiscrimination of local radiative and nonradiative recombination processes in an InGaN/GaN single-quantumwell structure by a time-resolved multimode scanning near-field optical microscopy Scanning near field optical microscopy ͑SNOM͒ was applied to study the carrier localization in single InGaN/GaN quantum well structures grown on nonpolar m-plane GaN substrates. Dual localization potential consisting of hundreds of nanometers-to micrometer-size areas as well as smaller localization centers were identified from the SNOM scans and near field photoluminescence spectral widths. The localization areas were found to align along the ͓0001͔ direction, which was attributed to partial strain relaxation at the monolayer steps.

Scanning near-field photoluminescence spectroscopy has been applied to evaluate bandgap fluctuations in epitaxial AlGaN films with the AlN molar fraction varying from 0.30 to 0.50. A dual localization pattern has been observed. The potential of the small-scale (<100 nm) localization, evaluated from the width of the photoluminescence spectra, is between 0 and 51 meV and increases with increased Al content. These potential variations have been assigned to small-scale compositional fluctuations occurring due to stress variations, dislocations, and formation of Al-rich grains during growth. Larger area potential variations of 25–40 meV, most clearly observed in the lower Al-content samples, have been attributed to Ga-rich regions close to grain boundaries or atomic layer steps. The density, size, and bandgap energy of these domains were found to be composition dependent. The lower bandgap domains were found to be strongly correlated with the regions with efficient nonradiative recombination.

Spectrally-, polarization-, and time-resolved photoluminescence ͑PL͒ experiments have been performed on 2.5 nm thick m-plane single InGaN quantum wells. It has been found that PL decay is mainly determined by nonradiative recombination through several types of recombination centers, while PL rise is largely affected by exciton transfer into localization minima. Prolonged PL rise times and time-dependent spectral shift were used to study exciton transfer into the localization centers. Characteristic time of the exciton transfer is 80-100 ps at lower temperatures and about 50 ps at room temperature, which corresponds to the exciton diffusion length of 200-500 nm. Degree of PL linear polarization was found to decrease at a similar rate. Decreased PL polarization for the localized excitons suggests that the localization centers are related to areas with relaxed strain.

Photoexcited carrier dynamics and localization potentials in Al0.86In0.14N/GaN heterostructures have been examined by time-resolved and scanning near-field photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy. The large GaN and AlInN PL intensity difference, and the short AlInN PL decay and GaN PL rise times indicate efficient photoexcited hole transfer from AlInN to GaN via sub-band-gap states. These states are attributed to extended defects and In clusters. Near-field PL scans show that diameter of the localization sites and the distance between them are below 100 nm. Spatial variations of the GaN PL wavelength have been assigned to the electric field inhomogeneities at the heterostructure interface.

Time-resolved transmission and photoluminescence measurements were performed on Al0.35Ga0.65N/Al0.49Ga0.51N quantum well structures with different well widths. Comparison of transmission and luminescence data shows that dynamics of electrons and holes excited into extended quantum well states are governed by nonradiative recombination. For excita-tion into potential minima formed by band gap fluctuations, localization of electrons was observed. Excitation energy dependence of the pump-probe transient shape allows estimating locali-zation potential, which is about 80 meV independently of the well width, and is prob-ably caused by fluctuations of AlN molar fraction.

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We have demonstrated surface normal detecting/filtering/emitting multiple functional ultraviolet (UV) optoelectronic devices based on InGaN/GaN, InGaN/AlGaN and Al x Ga 1-x N/Al y Ga 1-y N multiple quantum well (MQW) structures with operation wavelengths ranging from 270 nm to 450 nm. Utilizing MQW structure as device active layer offers a flexibility to tune its long cut-off wavelength in a wide UV range from solar-blind to visible by adjusting the well width, well composition and barrier height. Similarly, its short cut-off wavelength can be adjusted by using a GaN or AlGaN block layer on a sapphire substrate when the device is illuminated from its backside, which further provides an optical filtering effect. When a current injects into the device under forward bias the device acts as an UV light emitter, whereas the device performs as a typical photodetector under reverse biases. With applying an alternating external bias the device might be used as electroabsorption modulator due to quantum confined Stark effect. In present work fabricated devices have been characterized by transmission/absorption spectra, photoresponsivity, electroluminescence, and photoluminescence measurements under various forward and reverse biases. The piezoelectric effect, alloy broadening and Stokes shift between the emission and absorption spectra in different InGaN-and AlGaN-based QW structures have been investigated and compared. Possibilities of monolithic or hybrid integration using such multiple functional devices for biological warfare agents sensing application have also be discussed.

Light extraction from InGaN photonic crystal (PhC) light emitting diodes (LEDs) has been studied by scanning near‐field optical microscopy and time‐resolved photoluminescence. The observed patterns of the near‐field intensity are complex and do not correspond to the physical structure of the photonic crystal. Comparison with conventional LEDs without the PhC showed that PhC not only improves the light extraction, but also makes the LED emission more homogeneous (© 2012 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)