The secondary electron (SE) signal over a cleaved surface of GaAs p-i-n solar cells containing stacks of quantum wells (QWs) is analyzed by high-resolution scanning electron microscopy. The InGaAs QWs appear darker than the GaAsP barriers, which is attributed to the differences in electron affinity. This method is shown to be a powerful tool for profiling the conduction band minimum across junctions and interfaces with nanometer resolution. The intrinsic region is shown to be pinned to the Fermi level. Additional SE contrast mechanisms are discussed in relation to the dopant regions themselves as well as the AlGaAs window at the p-region. A novel method of in situ observation of the SE profile changes resulting from reverse biasing these structures shows that the built-in potential may be deduced. The obtained value of 0.7 eV is lower than the conventional bulk value due to surface effects.

A correlation of the local indium concentration measured on an atomic scale with luminescence properties of InxGa1−xN quantum wells reveals two different types of recombination mechanisms. A piezoelectric-field based mechanism is shown to dominate in samples with thick wells (L > 3 nm) of low indium concentration (x < 0.15−0.20). Spatial indium concentration fluctuations dominate luminescence properties in samples of higher indium concentrations in thinner wells. Quantum confinement is shown to have a major effect on the radiative recombination energy. A model is presented that relates the experimentally measured nano scale structural and chemical properties of quantum wells to the characteristics of the luminescence.

Electroluminescence spectra of light-emitting diodes based on InGaN/AlGaN/GaN heterostructures with single and multiple quantum wells (QWs) are analyzed by models of radiative recombination in 2D-structures with band tails. Equations of the model fit spectra quite good in a wide range of currents. Parameters of the fit are discussed and compared for single and multiple QWs. Tunnel effects play a sufficient role in blue LEDs with single QWs at low currents; they can be neglected in LEDs with multiple QWs. A new spectral band was detected at the high energy side of the spectra of green LEDs with multiple QWs; it is attributed with large scale inhomogenities of In distribution in InGaN QWs.*)

Luminescence spectra of Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs) with Multiple Quantum Wells (MQWs) were studied at currents J = 0.15 μA - 150 mA. A high quantum efficiency at low J is caused by a low probability of the tunnel current J (which is maximum at Jm ≈ 0.5-1.0 mA). J(V) curves were measured in the range J= 10−12-10−1 A; at J > 10−3A they may be approximated by a sum of four parts: V= φk+ mkT·[ln(J/J0)+(J/J1)0.5] + J·Rs. The part V ~ (J/J1)0.5is the evidence of a double-injection into i-layers near MQWs. Their presence is confirmed by capacitance measurements. An overflow of carriers through the MQW causes a lower quantum efficiency at high J. A model of a 2D-density of states with exponential tails fits the spectra. The value of T in the active layer was estimated. A new band was detected at high J; it can be caused by non-uniformity of In content in MQWs.

Changes of luminescence spectra and electrical properties of light-emitting diodes (LED’s) based on InGaN/AlGaN/GaN heterostructures were investigated over a long period of operation. Blue and green LED’s with InGaN single quantum wells were studied at currents up to 80 mA for 102−2.103 hours. An increase of luminescence intensity at operating currents of 15 mA was detected at the 1st stage of aging (100−800 hours) and a slow fall was detected in the 2nd stage. Greater changes of spectra were observed at low currents (< 0.15 mA). A study of charged acceptor distribution in the space charge region has shown that at the 1st stage their concentration grows, and in the 2nd stage, it falls. The models for the two stages are proposed: 1) activation of Mg due to destruction of residual Mg-H complexes; 2) formation of donor vacancies N. A model of defect formation by hot electrons injected into the quantum well is discussed.

We report both cw and time resolved optical investigations performed on an InGaN/GaN multiple quantum well grown by MOVPE on <0001>-oriented sapphire substrate. At low temperature we find a strong “blue” luminescence band, of which energy position corresponds well with the wavelength of stimulated emission when excited with a nitrogen laser. We show that this PL band appears systematically red-shifted with respect to the QWs features, which supports a standard picture of fluctuations of the indium composition. Coming to the time-resolved data, we find at low temperature at least two “blue” band components which are both associated with long decay times (up to 4-5 ns at 8K). The decay time is temperature dependent and, when rising the temperature, the recombination rate increases. At room temperature, we reach typical values in the range ~100 to 500 ps.

We have studied GaInN/GaN quantum well structures grown by LP-MOVPE by picosecond time-resolved photoluminescence spectroscopy. For the quantum wells we find rather long PL decay times of up to 600 ps at low temperature. At temperatures higher than about 100 K, the decay time decreases rapidly, reaching about 75 ps at room temperature. From measurements of the integrated PL intensity, we conclude that this decrease of the decay time is due to nonradiative recombination processes. By combining our data for the lifetime and the intensity, we derive the radiative lifetime, which is constant at low temperature and increases at elevated temperatures. We explain this behavior on the basis of the interface roughness at low temperature and thermal dissociation of excitons at higher temperatures.

Electroluminescence spectra of superbright blue and green LEDs based on epitaxial InxGa1−xN/AlyGa1−yN/GaN heterostructures with thin quantum well active layers [1] were studied at currents J = 0.01-20 mA. Spectral maxima of blue and green LEDs are ωmax = 2.58-2.75 eV and ωmax = 2.38-2.45 eV, dependent on the active layer In content. The low energy tails of the spectra are exponential with the parameter E0 = 42-50 meV almost independent of the temperature. The high energy tails of the spectra are exponential with a temperature dependent parameter E1= 20-40 meV. Both parameters (E0, E1) are current independent at J > 0.5 mA. The spectral band can be described by taking into account quantum size effects, impurities and electron-phonon interactions in active layers. A structure in the spectra was detected which can be described by the influence of light interference in the GaN layer on the sapphire substrate. Light intensity was a linear function of the drive current over the interval J = 1-20 mA, and was slightly temperature dependent. In the blue LEDs, the efficiency fall off at low currents (J < 0.7 mA) had a I ~ J4-5 dependence at room temperature. The green LEDs showed no such dependence. The influence of tunnel effects on the efficiency at low currents is discussed. Tunnel radiation spectra with maxima moving with the voltage were detected at low currents in III-N structures.