Cathodoluminescence study of GaN doped with Tb

We report the observation of the visible cathodoluminescence (CL of GaN dop ed with Tb3+ ions incorporated by implantation. The sharp characteristic em ission lines corresponding to Tb3+ transitions are resolved in the spectral range from 350 to 750 nm. and observed over the temperature range of 7-330 K. The luminescence shows transitions which originate in the D-5(3) and D- 5(4) levels and terminate in the F-7 manifolds. The depth resolved CL spect ra analysis give the luminescence surface dead laver thickness of similar t o 20 nm. The yellow band starts to grow at 5 keV (corresponding to electron penetration depth similar to 219 nm). The time resolved spectra, and rise and decay kinetics are discussed. The decay times for D-5(3) --> F-7(5) (42 3.4 nm) and D-5(4) --> F-7(5) (551.6 nm) transitions at 7 K are similar to 0.7 and similar to 1.8 ms, with little change with temperature. (C) 2001 El sevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.