A systematic cathodoluminescence study yielded a clear correlation between various growth conditions and the appearance and strength of the characteristic luminescence fingerprints of individual point defects in AlN. In particular, the incorporation of oxygen and the formation of oxygen-related and probably silicon-related DX centers as well as the native Al and N vacancies were still a problem. The thermal activation of the deep defect centers was investigated by temperature dependent cathodoluminescence spectroscopy.

Analysis of Point Defects in AlN Epilayers by Cathodoluminescence Spectroscopy. B.Bastek, F.Bertram, J.Christen, T.Hempel, A.Dadgar, A.Krost: Applied Physics Letters, 2009, 95[3], 032106