Scanning x-ray excited optical luminescence microscopy in GaN

Abstract

In this work, an imaging tool to investigate optical inhomogeneities with site and chemical sensitivities has been integrated in a hard x-ray microprobe. Freestanding GaN and epitaxially grown GaN:Mn on α-Al2O3 are used to exploit the unprecedented scanning x-ray excited luminescence technique. Optical images of the radiative recombination channels are reported for several impurities and defect centers in sapphire and GaN compounds. Within the experimental accuracy, a visible nonuniformity characterizes the Mn centers in good correlation with former x-ray fluorescence map. Expanding the microprobe versatility, x-ray absorption spectroscopy in both photon collection modes (x-ray excited luminescence and x-ray fluorescence) is finally presented from a freestanding GaN layer.