Point defect luminescence associated with stacking faults in magnesium doped zincblende GaN

X Xiuyuan Xu (Department of Materials Science and Metallurgy, University of Cambridge 1 , 27 Charles Babbage Rd, Cambridge CB3 0FS,) M Martin Frentrup (Department of Materials Science and Metallurgy, University of Cambridge 1 , 27 Charles Babbage Road, Cambridge CB3 0FS,) G Gunnar Kusch (Department of Materials Science and Metallurgy) R Ruiying Shu (Department of Materials, University of Oxford 2 , Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3PH,) C Christina Hofer (Department of Materials, University of Oxford 2 , Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3PH,) P Paul A. J. Bagot (Department of Materials, University of Oxford 2 , Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3PH,) M Michael P. Moody (Department of Materials, University of Oxford 2 , Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3PH,) M Menno J. Kappers (Department of Materials Science and Metallurgy, University of Cambridge 1 , 27 Charles Babbage Road, Cambridge CB3 0FS,) D David J. Wallis (Department of Materials Science and Metallurgy, University of Cambridge 1 , 27 Charles Babbage Road, Cambridge CB3 0FS,) R Rachel A. Oliver (Department of Materials Science and Metallurgy)

Abstract

The luminescence characteristics and the relation between the distribution of impurities and stacking faults (SFs) in Mg-doped zincblende gallium nitride (zb-GaN:Mg) have been investigated by cathodoluminescence (CL) and atom probe tomography (APT). Four peaks have been identified in the CL emission spectrum, and the possible related recombination mechanisms have been proposed. The main peak at 3.23 eV is associated with excitonic transitions, while the other three, having lower energies at about 3.15, 3.02, and 2.92 eV, respectively, are related to donor-to-acceptor (DAP) transitions involving different acceptor energy levels. These DAP peaks were significantly more intense on or close to SFs compared to the surrounding defect-free material, indicating an enrichment of point defects near SFs. This finding was supported by APT measurements, where Mg showed a tendency to segregate toward SFs in zb-GaN.

Article Details

Volume / Issue Vol. 137, Issue 23
Published June 21, 2025
ISSN 0021-8979
Publisher American Institute of Physics

Journal Info

Journal of Applied Physics

American Institute of Physics

ISSN: 0021-8979 Physical Sciences

Authors (10)

X

Xiuyuan Xu

Department of Materials Science and Metallurgy, University of Cambridge 1 , 27 Charles Babbage Rd, Cambridge CB3 0FS,

M

Martin Frentrup

Department of Materials Science and Metallurgy, University of Cambridge 1 , 27 Charles Babbage Road, Cambridge CB3 0FS,

G

Gunnar Kusch

Department of Materials Science and Metallurgy

R

Ruiying Shu

Department of Materials, University of Oxford 2 , Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3PH,

C

Christina Hofer

Department of Materials, University of Oxford 2 , Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3PH,

P

Paul A. J. Bagot

Department of Materials, University of Oxford 2 , Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3PH,

M

Michael P. Moody

Department of Materials, University of Oxford 2 , Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3PH,

M

Menno J. Kappers

Department of Materials Science and Metallurgy, University of Cambridge 1 , 27 Charles Babbage Road, Cambridge CB3 0FS,

D

David J. Wallis

Department of Materials Science and Metallurgy, University of Cambridge 1 , 27 Charles Babbage Road, Cambridge CB3 0FS,

R

Rachel A. Oliver

Department of Materials Science and Metallurgy