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ELECTRON INJECTION-INDUCED EFFECTS IN III-NITRIDES: PHYSICS AND APPLICATIONS

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Date Issued:
2004
Abstract/Description:
This research investigated the effect of electron injection in III-Nitrides. The combination of electron beam induced current and cathodoluminescence measurements was used to understand the impact of electron injection on the minority carrier transport and optical properties. In addition, the application of the electron injection effect in optoelectronic devices was investigated.The impact of electron injection on the minority carrier diffusion length was studied at various temperatures in Mg-doped p-GaN, p-AlxGa1-xN, and p-AlxGa1-x N/GaN superlattices. It was found that the minority carrier diffusion length experienced a multi-fold linear increase and that the rate of change of the diffusion length decreased exponentially with increasing temperature. The effect was attributed to a temperature-activated release of the electrons, which were trapped by the Mg levels.The activation energies for the electron injection effect in the Mg-doped (Al)GaN samples were found to range from 178 to 267 meV, which is close to the thermal ionization energy of the Mg acceptor. The activation energy observed for Al0.15Ga0.85N and Al0.2Ga0.8N was consistent with the deepening of the Mg acceptor level due to the incorporation of Al into the GaN lattice. The activation energy in the homogeneously doped Al0.2Ga0.8N/GaN superlattice indicates that the main contribution to the electron injection effect comes from the capture of injected electrons by the wells (GaN). The electron injection effect was successfully applied to GaN doped with an impurity (Mn) other than Mg. Electron injection into Mn-doped GaN resulted in a multi-fold increase of the minority carrier diffusion length and a pronounced decrease in the band-to-band cathodoluminescence intensity. The activation energy due to the electron injection effect was estimated from temperature-dependent cathodoluminescence measurements to be 360 meV. The decrease in the band-to-band cathodoluminescence is consistent with an increase in the diffusion length and these results are attributed to an increase in the minority carrier lifetime due to the trapping of injected electrons by the Mn levels.A forward bias was applied to inject electrons into commercially built p-i-n and Schottky barrier photodetectors. Up to an order of magnitude increase in the peak (360 nm) responsivity was observed. The enhanced photoresponse lasted for over four weeks and was attributed to an electron injection-induced increase of the minority carrier diffsuion length and the lifetime.
Title: ELECTRON INJECTION-INDUCED EFFECTS IN III-NITRIDES: PHYSICS AND APPLICATIONS.
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Name(s): Burdett, William Charles, Author
Chernyak, Leonid, Committee Chair
University of Central Florida, Degree Grantor
Type of Resource: text
Date Issued: 2004
Publisher: University of Central Florida
Language(s): English
Abstract/Description: This research investigated the effect of electron injection in III-Nitrides. The combination of electron beam induced current and cathodoluminescence measurements was used to understand the impact of electron injection on the minority carrier transport and optical properties. In addition, the application of the electron injection effect in optoelectronic devices was investigated.The impact of electron injection on the minority carrier diffusion length was studied at various temperatures in Mg-doped p-GaN, p-AlxGa1-xN, and p-AlxGa1-x N/GaN superlattices. It was found that the minority carrier diffusion length experienced a multi-fold linear increase and that the rate of change of the diffusion length decreased exponentially with increasing temperature. The effect was attributed to a temperature-activated release of the electrons, which were trapped by the Mg levels.The activation energies for the electron injection effect in the Mg-doped (Al)GaN samples were found to range from 178 to 267 meV, which is close to the thermal ionization energy of the Mg acceptor. The activation energy observed for Al0.15Ga0.85N and Al0.2Ga0.8N was consistent with the deepening of the Mg acceptor level due to the incorporation of Al into the GaN lattice. The activation energy in the homogeneously doped Al0.2Ga0.8N/GaN superlattice indicates that the main contribution to the electron injection effect comes from the capture of injected electrons by the wells (GaN). The electron injection effect was successfully applied to GaN doped with an impurity (Mn) other than Mg. Electron injection into Mn-doped GaN resulted in a multi-fold increase of the minority carrier diffusion length and a pronounced decrease in the band-to-band cathodoluminescence intensity. The activation energy due to the electron injection effect was estimated from temperature-dependent cathodoluminescence measurements to be 360 meV. The decrease in the band-to-band cathodoluminescence is consistent with an increase in the diffusion length and these results are attributed to an increase in the minority carrier lifetime due to the trapping of injected electrons by the Mn levels.A forward bias was applied to inject electrons into commercially built p-i-n and Schottky barrier photodetectors. Up to an order of magnitude increase in the peak (360 nm) responsivity was observed. The enhanced photoresponse lasted for over four weeks and was attributed to an electron injection-induced increase of the minority carrier diffsuion length and the lifetime.
Identifier: CFE0000080 (IID), ucf:46109 (fedora)
Note(s): 2004-08-01
Ph.D.
College of Arts and Sciences, Department of Physics
This record was generated from author submitted information.
Subject(s): GaN
diffusion length
cathodoluminescence
AlGaN
electron injection
photodetector
Schottky contact
EBIC
Mg doped
photovoltaic
Persistent Link to This Record: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0000080
Restrictions on Access: public
Host Institution: UCF

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