Title: Piezoelectric Field Influence on GaN/Al <sub>x</sub> Ga <sub>1—x</sub> N Quantum Well Optical Properties
Abstract: The absorption and luminescence properties of hetero-polarization GaN/AlxGa1—xN (x = 0.12 and 0.165) quantum well (QW) structures are studied by photoreflectivity, photoluminescence excitation spectroscopy (PLE), and photoluminescence at low temperature. The QW transition energy as a function of well thickness exhibits a quantum-confined Stark effect (QCSE) due to the presence of a strong built-in electric field (piezoelectricity and spontaneous polarization). An electric field strength of 120 kV/cm in the barrier and between 600 and 800 kV/cm in the well are obtained from the analysis of Franz-Keldysh oscillations in photoreflectivity spectra. These values are in good agreement with results from the fit of the QW transition energy versus the thickness, using the electric field as a parameter.