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Electron–hole liquid in GaP the influence of the isoelectronic impurity nitrogen
Author(s) -
Schwabe R.,
Thuselt F.,
Weinert H.,
Bindemann R.
Publication year - 1979
Publication title -
physica status solidi (b)
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.51
H-Index - 109
eISSN - 1521-3951
pISSN - 0370-1972
DOI - 10.1002/pssb.2220950229
Subject(s) - luminescence , impurity , nitrogen , atomic physics , chemistry , excitation , radiative transfer , range (aeronautics) , electron , liquid nitrogen , materials science , physics , optics , organic chemistry , quantum mechanics , optoelectronics , composite material
The radiative recombination of isoelectronic (nitrogen)‐doped GaP is investigated at high optical excitations and low temperatures ( T = 2 K). Extensive experimental results on the luminescence in dependence on the excitation intensity, the nitrogen concentration ( N N ) and its decay behaviour are presented. At low nitrogen concentrations ( N N ≦ 10 17 cm −3 ) and highest excitation levels the radiative recombination from an electron–hole liquid (EHL) accompanied by momentum conserving phonons analogous to undoped GaP can be confirmed. At higher nitrogen concentrations in the range of N N = 3 8 × 10 17 cm −3 a radiative no‐phonon transition appears from an EHL induced by the isoelectronic impurity nitrogen. The influence of the latter on the energy of the EHL is studied. The rising nitrogen density yields an increase in the EHL work function. At medium and high nitrogen concentrations ( N N ≦ 10 18 cm −3 ) a further up to now unknown luminescence band becomes visible arising from the radiative recombination of a “plasma‐like” phase which is strongl influenced by the isoelectronic impurity nitrogen and coexists with the EHL. Its density ( n p1 ) depends on the nitrogen concentration. The use of a simplified model basing on the polarization energy of the carriers caused by the short‐range isoelectronic potential enables the understanding of the experimental findings.