Study of AlxGa1-xN/AlN (0 ≤ x ≤ 0.1) quantum dots for the fabrication of E-beam pumped UV emitters

There is a soaring demand for UV lamps emitting at 220-270 nm for applications in disinfection. These needs are currently met by mercury lamps, hazardous for heath and the environment. Despite intense studies on UV LEDs, their efficiency remains limited by problems related to electrical injection. Here, we propose electron pumped UV lamps as an alternative to LEDs in this spectral range. For this purpose, superlattices of close-packed self-assembled AlGaN quantum dots are particularly promising, due to their high internal quantum efficiency (around 50%) and promising external quantum efficiency (4% in as-grown material, increasing to 7% by dice polishing).