Investigation of Ultrafast Carrier Dynamics in InGaN/GaN-Based Nanostructures Using Femtosecond Pump-Probe Absorption Spectroscopy

GaN-based optoelectronic devices including light-emitting diodes and lasers realized with quantum-confined nanostructures, revolutionized the solid-state lighting. Excited-state ultrafast nonlinear dynamics of these nanostructures are crucial in determining the device performance in terms of luminescence efficacy, emission spectra, wall-plug efficiency, turn-on delay, lasing threshold current, and modulation bandwidth. Therefore, understanding the carrier and photon dynamics of these nanostructures is of utmost importance. A comparative investigation of ultrafast nonlinear carrier-photon dynamics of 2D, 1D, and 0D InGaN/GaN nanostructures is carried out. Femtosecond pump-probe absorption spectroscopy is used uniformly herein to obtain the wavelength-dependent ultrafast kinetics of these nanostructures, with a temporal resolution of approximate to 50 fs. Carrier thermalization and relaxation processes of all the samples are studied both experimentally and theoretically. Distinguished phenomena, such as fast carrier trapping and subsequent detrapping of the carriers from sub-bandgap defect states are observed. Real-time monitoring of quantum confined Stark effect, enhanced radiative recombination, and diffusion-limited carrier kinetics are manifested. Carrier capture and recombination time constants are calculated theoretically, considering quantum properties. Theoretical values are in good agreement with the experimental observations. In addition, transient absorption spectroscopy is used to investigate and decouple the surface and the bulk properties of GaN surfaces.

Automated summary

The ultrafast nonlinear carrier-photon dynamics of GaN-based optoelectronic devices with nanostructures are studied, focusing on the impact of excited-state dynamics on device performance. Experimental and theoretical research shows the importance of understanding carrier and photon dynamics in these nanostructures.