Er doping of AlN during growth by metalorganic molecular beam epitaxy

Abstract

The doping of AlN during growth by metalorganic molecular beam epitaxy with an Er effusion source has resulted in AlN:Er films exhibiting strong room-temperature 1.54 μm photoluminescence (PL). The luminescence detected in the AlN:Er grown during this study was orders of magnitude greater in intensity than that from ion-implanted samples and represents the first demonstration of strong emission from rare-earth doped, epitaxial group III nitrides. Secondary ion mass spectroscopy was used to verify a dynamic range for this doping technique of 3×1017–2×1021 Er cm−3 with varying effusion cell temperature. The effects of growth temperature on Er incorporation and segregation behavior were also determined. PL studies, including room-temperature and thermal quenching experiments, were conducted.