Steady-state and dynamic characteristics of deep UV luminescence in rock salt-structured MgxZn1−xO

Temperature-dependent cathodoluminescence spectra were measured for rock salt-structured MgxZn1−xO films with x = 0.95–0.61. The Mg0.95Zn0.05O film exhibited the shortest deep UV peak wavelength of 199 nm (6.24 eV) at 6 K. Relatively high equivalent internal quantum efficiencies of 0.9%–11% were obtained. The Tauc plots, which were obtained from temperature-dependent optical transmittance measurements, exhibited large Stokes-like shifts of 0.7–0.9 eV at 6–300 K. Time-resolved photoluminescence (PL) signals at 7 K exhibited fast and slow decay components. The fast decay component had PL lifetimes of 2.59–3.08 ns, and the slow decay component far exceeded the measurement time range of 12.5 ns. The fast decay constant reflected the transfer lifetime of the photoexcited carriers to certain trapping centers. These centers were tentatively ascribed to Zn-related isoelectronic trapped-hole centers and may be a cause of the large Stokes-like shifts. The signals at 300 K exhibited very short PL lifetimes of 120–180 ps. The PL lifetimes were mainly attributed to the nonradiative recombination lifetime. Simultaneous decreases in the Zn-related isoelectronic trapped-hole centers and the nonradiative recombination centers were found to be necessary to improve the DUV emission properties of RS-MgxZn1−xO films.