Defect density dependence of carrier dynamics in AlGaN multiple quantum wells grown on GaN substrates and templates

Subpicosecond time-resolved photoluminescence (TRPL) has been used to compare the room temperature carrier dynamics in Al0.1Ga0.9N/Al0.3Ga0.7N multiple quantum well (MQW) structures simultaneously deposited on a high quality free standing HVPE GaN substrate (dislocation density ∼1 × 107cm–2) and 1 µm MOCVD GaN template on sapphire. The PL lifetime of ∼500 ps in the MQW on GaN substrate is about 5 times longer than that for the MQW on GaN template, with a concomitant increase in CW PL intensity. This behavior is attributed primarily to an increase in nonradiative lifetime associated with a 100 times reduction in dislocation density in the GaN substrate. The observation that the PL lifetime in the MQW falls short of the ∼900 ps dominant decay time in the GaN substrate may be indicative of generation of additional defects and dislocations due to substrate surface preparation, strain relaxation, and nonoptimal growth temperature associated with the difference in heating of the thin GaN template on sapphire and the thick GaN substrate. An extended PL rise time of greater than 20 ps for the MQW emission when above barrier pumping is employed implies that both wells and barriers are of high quality. (© 2005 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)