Metastable behavior of the UV luminescence in Mg-doped GaN layers grown on quasibulk GaN templates

Metastability of near band gap UV emissions in Mg-doped GaN layers grown by metal-organic vapor phase epitaxy on thick GaN templates grown by halide vapor phase epitaxy has been studied by cathodoluminescence (CL). The CL spectrum changes its initial shape within a few minutes under electron irradiation. The acceptor bound exciton line vanishes while the emissions related to the stacking faults (SFs) of different geometry rise significantly. The increase of the defect-related luminescence is likely caused by recombination enhanced SF formation under electron irradiation. The CL spectrum transformation is permanent at low temperatures; however, the metastable process is reversible if samples are heated to room temperature.