Optical properties of GaN/AlN multiple quantum wells

Optical properties of GaN/AIN multiple quantum wells (MQW) have been investigated by Raman scattering, photoluminescence and photoluminescence excitation measurements. A careful examination of the Raman spectrum reveals the fact that the constituent layers of GaN/AIN MQWs are well strained. The experimental results of emission and absorption in MQWs were compared with the calculated solutions of the finite quantum well and the bound states involved in the optical transitions were identified. It is found that the interband transitions up to n = 3 bound state can be observed in the strained GaN/AIN MQWs sample. The temperature dependence of the heavy-hole transitions shows an interesting phenomenon, in which the peak energy first increases with increasing temperature and then decreases with the temperature rapidly. The observation can be explained in a consistent way by the strain effects of lattice mismatch due to the interplay between the thermal expansion of GaN and AIN layers. Our results indicate that pseudomorphic GaN/AIN MQWs with good quality can be readily grown, and their applications in optoelectronics can be expected in the near future. (C) 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.