Time-resolved photoluminescence studies of free and donor-bound exciton in GaN grown by hydride vapor phase epitaxy

Abstract

Time-resolved photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy was used to study the radiative recombination of free and donor-bound excitons in unintentionally doped GaN grown by hydride vapor phase epitaxy. Low temperature (4 K), time-integrated PL spectra identified the free exciton (A), the donor-bound exciton peak ∼6 meV below, and the acceptor-bound exciton ∼20 meV below the free exciton peak. A radiative recombination lifetime of 295 ps for the free exciton and 530 ps for donor-bound exciton were found at 4 K. The decay of the free exciton remained single exponential to room temperature, with an increase in lifetime to 530 ps, consistent with the thermal excitation of exciton states.