Photoluminescence of Eu-doped GaN thin films prepared by radio frequency magnetron sputtering

Journal Article · Mon Sep 20 04:00:00 EDT 2004 · Applied Physics Letters

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.1794868· OSTI ID:20634271

Shirakata, Sho; Sasaki, Ryo; Kataoka, Takashi ^[1]

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1. Faculty of Engineering, Ehime University, 3 Bunkyo-cho, Matsuyama, Ehime 790-8577 (Japan)

The Eu-doped GaN thin films (GaN:Eu) were deposited on the sapphire substrate by means of the rf magnetron sputtering method. The GaN:Eu films were characterized by x-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscope, and photoluminescence (PL). Although as-grown GaN:Eu films (2 mol % Eu in target) exhibited weak broad Eu-related red PL, the annealing in NH{sub 3} atmosphere (1000 deg. C for 1 h) led to the remarkable enhancement of Eu-related PL lines. PL spectra of such annealed GaN:Eu films exhibited a series of sharp PL lines characteristic of substitutional Eu{sup 3+} ions at Ga sites in the GaN lattice (dominant PL line is at 622 nm for the {sup 5}D{sub 0}-{sup 7}F{sub 2} transition). On the other hand for GaN:Eu films (5 mol % Eu in target), as-grown films are amorphous and exhibited broad Eu{sup 3+}-related PL lines. The annealing led to the crystallization of the films, the elimination of Eu{sup 3+}-related PL lines, and the enhancement of the near-band-edge PL. The Eu-luminescent centers are considered to be removed during the crystallization.

• OSTI ID: 20634271
• Journal Information: Applied Physics Letters, Journal Name: Applied Physics Letters Journal Issue: 12 Vol. 85; ISSN APPLAB; ISSN 0003-6951
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
AMMONIA
ANNEALING
CRYSTALLIZATION
DOPED MATERIALS
EUROPIUM IONS
GALLIUM NITRIDES
ION IMPLANTATION
MAGNETRONS
PHOTOLUMINESCENCE
RADIOWAVE RADIATION
SAPPHIRE
SCANNING ELECTRON MICROSCOPY
SEMICONDUCTOR MATERIALS
SPUTTERING
TEMPERATURE DEPENDENCE
TEMPERATURE RANGE 1000-4000 K
THIN FILMS
TIME DEPENDENCE
X-RAY DIFFRACTION