Visible cathodoluminescence of GaN doped with Dy, Er, and Tm

We reported the observation of visible cathodoluminescence of rare-earth Dy , Er, and Tm implanted in GaN. The implanted samples were given isochronal thermal annealing treatments at a temperature of 1100 degrees C in N-2 or N H3, at atmospheric pressure to recover implantation damages and activated t he rare-earth ions. The sharp characteristic emission lines corresponding t o Dy3+, Er3+, and Tm3+ intra-4f(n)-shell transitions are resolved in the sp ectral range from 380 to 1000 nm, and observed over the temperature range o f 8.5-411 K. The cathodoluminescence emission is only weakly temperature de pendent. The results indicate that rare-earth- doped GaN epilayers are suit able as a material for visible optoelectronic devices. (C) 1999 American In stitute of Physics. [S0003-6951(99)03808-5].