Carrier localization in m-plane InGaN/GaN quantum wells probed by scanning near field optical spectroscopy

Scanning near field optical microscopy (SNOM) was applied to study the carrier localization in single InGaN/GaN quantum well structures grown on nonpolar m-plane GaN substrates. Dual localization potential consisting of hundreds of nanometers- to micrometer-size areas as well as smaller localization centers were identified from the SNOM scans and near field photoluminescence spectral widths. The localization areas were found to align along the [0001] direction, which was attributed to partial strain relaxation at the monolayer steps. (C) 2010 American Institute of Physics. [doi:10.1063/1.3502482]