Bandgap analysis and carrier localization in cation-disordered ZnGeN2

The bandgap of ZnGeN2 changes with the degree of cation site disorder and is sought in light emitting diodes for emission at green to amber wavelengths. By combining the perspectives of carrier localization and defect states, we analyze the impact of different degrees of disorder on electronic properties in ZnGeN2, addressing a gap in current studies, which largely focus on dilute or fully disordered systems. The present study demonstrates changes in the density of states and localization of carriers in ZnGeN2 calculated using bandgap-corrected density functional theory and hybrid calculations on partially disordered supercells generated using the Monte Carlo method. We use localization and density of states to discuss the ill-defined nature of a bandgap in a disordered material and identify site disorder and its impact on the structure as a mechanism controlling electronic properties and potential device performance. Decreasing the order parameter results in a large reduction of the bandgap. The reduction in bandgap is due, in part, to isolated, localized states that form above the valence band continuum associated with nitrogen coordinated by more zinc than germanium. The prevalence of defect states in all but the perfectly ordered structure creates challenges for incorporating disordered ZnGeN2 into optical devices, but the localization associated with these defects provides insight into the mechanisms of electron/hole recombination in the material.