Effect of growth interruption and the introduction of H2 on the growth of InGaN/GaN multiple quantum wells

Abstract

The effects of the growth interruption and the introduction of H2 during interruption time on the optical and structural properties of InGaN/GaN multiquantum wells (MQWs), grown by metalorganic chemical vapor deposition, were investigated. When the growth was interrupted during the formation of interfaces in the MQWs, the intensity of photoluminescence (PL) was greatly increased and the formation of InN-rich regions near the surface of the InGaN well layer was suppressed. As the interruption time increased, however, the PL intensity decreased and the average In composition of InGaN/GaN MQWs decreased. When H2 was introduced during the growth interruption, the intensity of the PL was significantly enhanced by eliminating the impurities at the interface and the PL peaks were blueshifted due to the reduction in the thickness of the InGaN well layers, as a result of H2 etching of well and barrier layers.