Recombination dynamics in GaN

We present a theoretical investigation of the carrier recombination in GaN. Analytical expressions of the radiative recombination coefficients of the coupled exciton-free-carrier system are derived by employing the van Roosbroeck-Shockley relation between absorption and spontaneous emission. Screening to the first order for the discrete exciton state is taken into account. Our results demonstrate the importance of exciton effects, which persist up to high temperatures and excitation densities, for the spontaneous emission in GaN. Finally, "best-case" simulations of the particle densities after pulsed excitation as a function of time or depth show the importance of both bulk and interface nonradiative recombination in GaN, (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.