Effect of composition fluctuations on radiative recombination in narrow-gap semiconductor solid solutions

Abstract

The photoluminescence of the epitaxial structures based on the narrow-gap CdHgTe solid solutions has been experimentally investigated and the presence of large-scale composition fluctuations localizing carriers in the structures has been established. A model has been proposed for describing the effect of the fluctuations on the radiative recombination rate, the shape of the luminescence spectra, and their peak position. The model describes carrier transport and recombination at the strongly inhomogeneous composition of the solid solution and demonstrates the manifestation of carrier localization in the luminescence spectra.