Tunneling radiative recombination in p-n heterostructures based on gallium nitride and other AIIIBV semiconductor compounds

We present summarized data on the tunneling emission in p-n heterostructures based on GaN and on a series of cubic AIIIBV semiconductors, including GaAs, InP, GaSb, and (Ga, In)Sb. The emission in p-n heterostructures of the InGaN/AlGaN/GaN type in a spectral interval from 1.9 to 2.7 eV predominates at small currents (J<0.2 mA). The position of maximum ℏωmax in the spectrum approximately corresponds to the applied potential difference U:ℏωmax=eU. The tunneling emission is related to a high electric field strength in GaN-based heterostructures. The radiative recombination probability is higher in the structures with piezoelectric fields. The observed spectra are compared to the spectra of tunneling emission from light-emitting diodes based on GaAs, InP, and GaSb. The experimental results for various semiconductors emitting in a broad energy range (0.5–2.7 eV) are described by the equation ℏωmax=eU=0.5–2.7 eV.