Properties of the Biexciton and the Electron-Hole-Plasma in Highly Excited GaN

High-excitation processes like biexciton decay and recombination of an electron-hole-plasma are discussed as efficient mechanisms for lasing in blue laser diodes [1]. Therefore, the investigation of these processes is of fundamental importance to the understanding of the properties of GaN as a basic material for optoelectronical applications. We report on comprehensive photoluminescence and gain measurements of highly excited GaN epilayers grown by metal-organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) over a wide range of excitation densities and temperatures. For low temperatures the decay of biexcitons and the electron-hole-plasma dominate the spontaneous-emission and gain spectra. A spectral analysis of the lineshape of these emissions is performed and the properties of the biexciton and the electron-hole-plasma in GaN will be disscused in comparison to other wide-gap materials. At increased temperatures up to 300 K exciton-exciton-scattering and band-to-band recombination are the most efficient processes in the gain spectra beside the electron-hole-plasma.