Photoluminescence characterization of nonradiative recombination centers in MOVPE grown GaAs:N δ-doped superlattice structure

Abstract Nonradiative recombination (NRR) centers in GaAs:N δ-doped superlattice (SL) structure grown by metal organic vapor phase epitaxy (MOVPE) are studied by two-wavelength-excited photoluminescence (PL) method. The PL intensity quenching due to the superposition of below-gap excitation (BGE) light at energies of 0.75, 0.80, 0.92, and 0.95 eV and an above-gap excitation (AGE) light either for the GaAs conduction band (1.69 eV) or E− band excitation (1.45 eV), respectively indicates the existence of NRR centers inside the GaAs:N δ-doped SL and GaAs layers. The AGE density and BGE density dependence of the PL intensity have been studied for both excitation schemes. Recombination model based on two levels has been proposed to interpret the experimental results and energy distribution of NRR centers inside the GaAs:N δ-doped SLs and GaAs layers. The defect-related parameters are estimated systematically by solving the rate equations and fitting the results with the experimental data that give a phenomenological insight into the sample.