Two-dimensional electron gas effects on the photoluminescence from a nonintentionally doped AlGaN/GaN heterojunction

Photoluminescence measurements on an AlGaN/GaN single heterojunction (SH), where piezoelectric and spontaneous polarization effects confine a two-dimensional electron gas (2DEG), are presented. Well-defined emissions between the bulk excitonic transitions and their LO-phonon replica are attributed to spatially indirect excitons located close to the interface. The strong interfacial electric field separates photogenerated holes and electrons, weakening their Coulomb interaction and causing a blueshift with increasing excitation intensity due to carrier population effects. In addition, direct experimental proof is obtained by applying an electric field normal to the interface. An energy shift of the quasi-2D excitons accompanied by an intensity quenching as a function of the gate voltage corroborates their nature.