Deep traps in InGaN/GaN single quantum well structures grown with and without InGaN underlayers

The electrical properties and deep trap spectra were compared for near-UV GaN/InGaN quantum well (QW) structures grown on free-standing GaN substrates. The structures differed by the presence or absence of a thin (110 nm) InGaN layer inserted between the high temperature GaN buffer and the QW region. Capacitance-voltage profiling with monochromatic illumination showed that in the InGaN underlayer (UL), the density of deep traps with optical threshold near 1.5 eV was much higher than in the QW and higher than for structures without InGaN. Irradiation with 5 MeV electrons strongly increased the concentration of these 1.5 eV traps in the QWs, with the increase more pronounced for samples witho…