Title The detrimental effect of AlGaN barrier quality on carrier dynamics in AlGaN/GaN interface /
Authors Podlipskas, Žydrūnas ; Jurkevičius, Jonas ; Kadys, Arūnas ; Miasojedovas, Saulius ; Malinauskas, Tadas ; Aleksiejūnas, Ramūnas
DOI 10.1038/s41598-019-53732-y
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Is Part of Scientific reports.. London : Nature Publishing Group. 2019, vol. 9, art. no. 17346, p. [1-8].. ISSN 2045-2322. eISSN 2045-2322
Keywords [eng] AlGaN ; GaN ; Carrier recombination ; Carrier scattering ; semiconductor boundaries ; surface and interface recombination ; light induced transient grating ; time-resolved photoluminescence spectroscopy
Abstract [eng] Carrier recombination and scattering at the semiconductor boundaries can substantially limit the device efficiency. However, surface and interface recombination is generally neglected in the nitride-based devices. Here, we study carrier recombination and diffusivity in AlGaN/GaN/sapphire heterointerfaces with AlGaN barriers of different quality. We employ the light induced transient grating and time-resolved photoluminescence spectroscopy techniques to extract carrier lifetime in different depths of the GaN buffer as well as in the AlGaN barrier, and to evaluate the carrier diffusion coefficient in the buffer. Moreover, we assess interface recombination velocity, Shockley-Read-Hall and radiative recombination rates. We reveal the adverse barrier influence on carrier dynamics in the underlying buffer: AlGaN barrier accelerates the nonradiative carrier recombination in the GaN buffer. The interface recombination velocity in the GaN buffer increases with decreasing AlGaN barrier quality, and the dominating recombination mechanism switches from Shockley-Read-Hall to interface recombination. These phenomena are governed by a cumulative effect of various interface-deteriorating barrier defects. Meanwhile, the carrier diffusivity in the GaN buffer is not affected by the AlGaN barrier. We conclude that barrier-accelerated interface recombination can become a major carrier loss mechanism in AlGaN/GaN interface, and may substantially limit the efficiency in nitride-based UV LEDs.
Published London : Nature Publishing Group
Type Journal article
Language English
Publication date 2019
CC license CC license description