Band-gap narrowing and potential fluctuation in Si-doped GaN

We investigate the optical properties of two sets of Si-doped GaN epitaxial layers with different degree of compensation. The electron concentration dependence of the band-gap energy measured by photoluminescence is interpreted as band-gap narrowing effect and evaluated by a simple relation. The photoluminescence peak positions of heavily compensated samples are shifted downward with respect to those of moderately compensated samples, and the down shift becomes larger at higher electron density. Based on analysis of photoluminescence spectra, these prominent behaviors are accounted for by band-edge potential fluctuation associated with inhomogeneous residual impurities.