Carbon-related Deep States in Compensated n-type and Semi-Insulating GaN:C and their Influence on Yellow Luminescence

摘要

The physical origin of the yellow luminescence in MBE-grown GaN co-doped with C and Si was investigated. Deep level optical spectroscopy (DLOS), deep level transient spectroscopy (DLTS), and photoluminescence (PL) were used to study the deep level spectrum as a function of C incorporation. In the absence of C co-doping, samples were n-type and demonstrated a weak yellow luminescence band, likely related to V_(Ga). For increasing C co-doping, samples became semi-insulating concurrent with increased intensity of the yellow luminescence and the concentration of C-related deep acceptors. The DLOS results were used to develop a configuration-coordinate model for a C-related deep level with optical ionization energy of 3.0 eV and Franck-Condon shift of 0.4 eV that is consistent with the observed yellow luminescence and DLTS results. From these findings, a general model for independent mechanisms of the yellow luminescence related to V_(Ga) for n-type GaN and C for n-type and semi-insulating GaN:C:Si is discussed.