Optical properties of undoped and modulation-doped AlGaN/GaN single heterostructures grown by metalorganic chemical vapor deposition

The optical properties of undoped and modulation-doped AlGaN/GaN single heterostructures (SHs) grown by metalorganic chemical vapor deposition are investigated at low temperature using photoluminescence measurements. The formation of a two-dimensional electron gas at the heterojunction is verified by temperature-dependent Hall mobility and 300 K capacitance-voltage measurements. Radiative recombination is observed between the electrons in two-dimensional quantum states at the heterointerface and the holes in the flat-band region or bound to residual acceptors both in undoped and modulation-doped AlGaN/GaN SHs. These peaks disappear when the top AlGaN layer is removed by reactive ion etching. In addition, the photoluminescence results under different laser excitation intensity and lattice temperature are also described for undoped and modulation-doped AlGaN/GaN SHs with various Al compositions and growth interrupt times. (C) 2001 American Institute of Physics.