Optical and structural study of GaN nanowires grown by catalyst-free molecular beam epitaxy. II. Sub-band-gap luminescence and electron irradiation effects

Published

June 4, 2007

Author(s)

Larry Robins, Kristine A. Bertness, Joy Barker, Norman Sanford, John B. Schlager

Abstract

GaN nanowires with diameters of 50-250nm, grown by catalyst-free molecular beam epitaxy, were characterized by photoluminescence (PL) and cathodoluminescence (CL) spectroscopy at temperatures from 3 to 297 K. Both as-grown samples and dispersions of nanowires onto other substrates were examined. The properties of the near-band-edge PL and CL spectra were discussed in Part I of this study by [Robins et al. (L. H. Robins, K. A. Bertness, J. M. Barker, N. A. Sanford, and J. B. Schlager, J. Appl. Phys. 101,113505 (2007)]. Spectral features below the band gap, and the efect of extended electron irradiation on the CL, are discussed in Part II. The observed sub-band-gap PL and CL peaks are identified as phonon replicas of the free-exciton transitions, or excitons bound to structural defects or surface states. The defect-related peaks in the nanowires are correlated with luminescence lines previously reported in GaN films, denoted the Y lines [M. A. Reshchikov and H. Morkoc, J. Appl. Phys. 97, 061301 (2005)]. The CL was partially quenched by electron beam irradiation for an extended time; the quenching was stronger for the free and shallow-donor-bound exciton peaks than for the defect-related peaks. The quenching appeared to saturate at a high irradiation dose (with final intensity approximately 30% of initial intensity) and was reversible on thermal cycling to room temperature. The electron irradiation-induced quenching of the CL is ascribed to charge injection and trapping phenomena.

Citation

Journal of Applied Physics

Volume

101

Issue

113506

Pub Type

Journals

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Citation

Robins, L. , Bertness, K. , Barker, J. , Sanford, N. and Schlager, J. (2007), Optical and structural study of GaN nanowires grown by catalyst-free molecular beam epitaxy. II. Sub-band-gap luminescence and electron irradiation effects, Journal of Applied Physics, [online], https://tsapps.nist.gov/publication/get_pdf.cfm?pub_id=32356 (Accessed October 13, 2025)