Optically active vacancies in GaN grown on Si substrates probed using a monoenergetic positron beam

Native defects in GaN layers grown on Si substrates by metal organic chemical vapor deposition have been studied using a monoenergetic positron beam. Measurements of Doppler broadening spectra of the annihilation radiation for GaN layers showed that optically active vacancy-type defects were formed in the layers. Charge transition of the defects due to electron capture was found to occur when the layers were irradiated by photons with energy above 2.71 eV. The concentration of such defects increased after 600–800 °C annealing, but the defects have not been annealed out even at 1000 °C. They were identified as Ga-vacancy-type defects, such as complexes between Ga vacancies and carbon impurities, and the relationship between their charge transition and optical properties were discussed.