Photoluminescence studies of aluminum nitride nanowires

Abstract

We report the production of AlN nanowires by the thermal heating method, for exploring their photoluminescence properties. The room-temperature photoluminescence properties were investigated with different annealing environment. While broad emissions with peaks at around 2.45 and 2.95 eV were obtained from both unannealed and annealed samples, the additional 2.1 eV peak was found from the annealed samples. We have suggested the possible emission mechanisms based on the assumption that both 2.45 eV peak and 2.1 eV peak are ascribed to the nitrogen vacancies. Annealing in N2 environment exhibited lower intensities of 2.45 eV peak and 2.1 eV peak in comparison to those in Ar environment, presumably due to the suppression of nitrogen vacancies.