Measurement of Internal Electric Field in GaN-Based Light-Emitting Diodes

Abstract

The internal electric field due to the piezoelectric effect in an InGaN/GaN multiple quantum-well structure is measured via photoluminescence (PL), electroreflectance (ER), and photocurrent (PC) spectroscopies, and the measurement results are compared with each other and with theoretically calculated values. The flat-band voltage is estimated by measuring the applied bias voltage that induces the maximum in PL peak energy by the quantum-confined Stark effect, 180 phase shift in the ER spectrum, and the smallest band tail state in the PC spectrum. The internal electric fields estimated by the PL, PC, and ER spectra are -1.81, -2.12 +/- 0.14, and -2.04 MV/cm, respectively. The measured piezoelectric fields are in good agreement with theoretically calculated values. Possible factors affecting piezoelectric field measurements are discussed from various perspectives.