Photoluminescence from Vacancy-Containing Defects in GaN

Abstract

Photoluminescence (PL) bands in GaN associated with point defects involving nitrogen or gallium vacancy (VN or VGa) are reviewed. The VN-containing defects, including the isolated VN and its complexes with acceptors, are often observed in PL from semi-insulating GaN and are responsible for the green (GL2) and red (the RL2 family) bands. The complexes of the VGa with hydrogen and oxygen are abundantly formed in n-type GaN grown by the ammonothermal method. Some of these complexes are responsible for PL bands in the red-yellow region of the PL spectrum.