Polarization effects due to thickness fluctuations in nonpolar InGaN/GaN quantum wells

Abstract

We have employed continuum elasticity theory and an eight band k·p model to study the influence of thickness fluctuations in In 0.2Ga0.8N quantum wells grown along the [11 2 ̄ 0] direction in GaN. Such fluctuations are the origin of polarization potentials that may spatially separate electrons and holes in the vicinity of a thickness fluctuation and therefore reduce the efficiency of light emitters. Our calculations reveal that even shallow fluctuations of one or two monolayers can induce a significant spatial separation of electrons and holes, in particular, if the lateral extent of such a fluctuation is large. © 2013 AIP Publishing LLC.