High excitation carrier density recombination dynamics of InGaN/GaN quantum well structures: Possible relevance to efficiency droop

We report on the optical properties of InGaN/GaN quantum well structures measured at 10 K as a function of excitation density. At high excitation power densities we observe a component in the spectra that decays more rapidly than the localised carrier emission observed for low excitation power densities. We attribute this component to recombination involving weakly localised or delocalised carriers. At the high excitation power densities there is a reduction in the recombination internal quantum efficiency, so called efficiency droop. These observations are compatible with the model whereby efficiency droop is explained in terms of the non radiative loss of delocalised carriers. © 2013 American Institute of Physics.