Compensation effects on hole transport in C-doped p-type GaPN dilute nitrides

Experimental studies of transport in GaPN dilute nitrides have evidenced low hole mobilities, which limit their applications in optoelectronics. Theoretical work to date has not explained the origin of such low hole mobilities. Here, we use full band cellular Monte Carlo methods to investigate hole transport in C-doped GaPN dilute nitrides as a function of hole concentration. Good agreement between simulation and experiment is obtained by introducing a doping-dependent self-compensation. The results suggest that the reduction in the hole mobility is caused by the compensation for the p-type C doping, which is likely due to the formation of C–N complexes that act as donor scattering centers. This agrees well with the low C activation ratio reported by Liu et al. [Appl. Phys. Lett. 96, 032106 (2010)] and other studies on C–N complexes in GaP.