Efficient long wavelength interband photoluminescence from HgCdTe epitaxial films at wavelengths up to 26 <i>μ</i>m

Abstract

Photoluminescence (PL) and photoconductivity (PC) studies of Hg1−xCdxTe (0.19 ≤ x ≤ 0.23) epitaxial films are presented. Interband PL is observed at wavelengths from 26 to 6 μm and in the temperature range 18 K–200 K. The PL line full width at half maximum is about 6 meV (4kT) at 18 K and approaches its theoretical limit of 1.8kT at higher temperatures. Carrier recombination process is also investigated by time resolved studies of PL and PC at pulsed excitation. Radiative transitions are shown to be the dominating mechanism of carrier recombination at high excitation levels.