Zeeman Spectroscopy of the Internal Transition 4T1 to 6A1 of Fe3+ Ions in Wurtzite GaN

Internal transitions of Fe3+ ions in wurtzite gallium nitride were analyzed by means of photoluminescence, Zeeman, and transmission spectroscopy in order to investigate the fine structure. Magnetic fields up to 14 T were applied perpendicular or parallel to the crystal c-axis, causing a characteristic splitting pattern of the luminescence related to the transition from the 4T1 excited state to the 6A1 ground state of Fe3+. The complete Hamiltonian matrix is constructed taking into account the crystal field in cubic and trigonal symmetry, spin-orbit interaction, and the influence of external magnetic fields. Numerical solution yields the exact energy level scheme of the excited state 4G of Fe3+ ions in GaN, which partly revises assumptions based on a qualitative treatment considering group theory only and invoking the influence of a Jahn-Teller effect. The coincidence of the calculated energy levels with the experimental data verifies the derived fine structure of the 3d metal ion.