Published online by Cambridge University Press: 01 February 2011
The photoluminescence of MBE-grown InGaN/GaN vertical heterostructures on c-axis oriented GaN nanocolumns is investigated. Nanocolumnar InGaN heterostructures exhibit luminescence efficiencies greater than 20% for peak emission wavelengths as long as 540 nm. Compared to otherwise identical InGaN samples with larger median column diameters, the luminescence is blue-shifted and exhibits reduced efficiency for diameters less than about 50 nm. Growth of InGaN on GaN columns with a broad distribution of diameters results in broad-band photoluminescence that appears white to the eye and has efficiency as high as 23%.