Nonradiative lifetime extraction using power-dependent relative photoluminescence of III-V semiconductor double-heterostructures

Journal Article · Thu Apr 21 00:00:00 EDT 2016 · Journal of Applied Physics

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4945772· OSTI ID:22594630

Heckelmann, S.; Karcher, C.; Höhn, O.; Went, C.; Niemeyer, M.; Bett, A. W.; Lackner, D. ^[1]

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1. Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE, Heidenhofstraße 2, 79110 Freiburg (Germany)

A power-dependent relative photoluminescence measurement method is developed for double-heterostructures composed of III-V semiconductors. Analyzing the data yields insight into the radiative efficiency of the absorbing layer as a function of laser intensity. Four GaAs samples of different thicknesses are characterized, and the measured data are corrected for dependencies of carrier concentration and photon recycling. This correction procedure is described and discussed in detail in order to determine the material's Shockley-Read-Hall lifetime as a function of excitation intensity. The procedure assumes 100% internal radiative efficiency under the highest injection conditions, and we show this leads to less than 0.5% uncertainty. The resulting GaAs material demonstrates a 5.7 ± 0.5 ns nonradiative lifetime across all samples of similar doping (2–3 × 10{sup 17 }cm{sup −3}) for an injected excess carrier concentration below 4 × 10{sup 12 }cm{sup −3}. This increases considerably up to longer than 1 μs under high injection levels due to a trap saturation effect. The method is also shown to give insight into bulk and interface recombination.

• OSTI ID: 22594630
• Journal Information: Journal of Applied Physics, Vol. 119, Issue 15; Other Information: (c) 2016 Author(s); Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0021-8979
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS
SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND SUPERFLUIDITY
ABUNDANCE
CARRIERS
CONCENTRATION RATIO
EFFICIENCY
EXCITATION
EXTRACTION
GALLIUM ARSENIDES
INJECTION
INTERFACES
LASERS
LAYERS
LIFETIME
PHOTOLUMINESCENCE
PHOTONS
RECOMBINATION
RECYCLING
SATURATION
SEMICONDUCTOR MATERIALS
THICKNESS