Influence of Precursor Route on the Photoluminescence of Bulk Nanocrystalline Gallium Nitride

GaN derived from gallium imide, {Ga(NH)3/2}n, typically exhibits yellow defect photoluminescence, with the pyrolysis temperature influencing the intensity of the emission. Pyrolysis of this same precursor in relatively high boiling N,N,N‘,N‘-tetramethyl-1,6-hexanediamine yields blue photoluminescence with an emission maximum near 420 nm. In contrast, GaN derived from pyrolysis of gallazane precursors such as [H2GaNH2]3 yields blue light emission whose quantum yield can be improved by a brief HF etch.