Optical properties of undoped and modulation-doped AlGaN/GaN single heterostructures grown by metalorganic chemical vapor deposition.

The optical properties of undoped and modulation-doped A1GaN/GaN single heterostructures (SHs) grown by metalorganic chemical vapor deposition are investigated at low temperature using photoluminescence measurements. The formation of a two-dimensional electron gas at the heterojunction is verified by temperature-dependent Hall mobility and 300 K capacitance-voltage measurements. Radiative recombination is observed between the electrons in two-dimensional quantum states at the heterointerface and the holes in the flat-band region or bound to residual acceptors both in undoped and modulation-doped A1GaN/GaN SHs. These peaks disappear when the top A1GaN layer is removed by reactive ion etching. In addition, the photoluminescence results under different laser excitation intensity and lattice temperature are also described for undoped and modulation-doped A1GaN/GaN SHs with various A1 compositions and growth interrupt times. c 2001 American Institute of Physics. [DOI: 10.1063/1.1330767]. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]