Auger-Meitner recombination in AlGaN quantum wells

AlGaN quantum wells serve as the active region in III-nitride deep-ultraviolet (deep-UV) light-emitting diodes (LED), however their efficiency remains much lower than their visible-light counterparts. Unfortunately, it is challenging to experimentally study the intrinsic energy-loss mechanisms in this system. Here, we have developed and applied predictive first-principles calculations to obtain mechanistic insights into radiative and Auger-Meitner recombination (AMR) in bulk AlGaN alloys and AlGaN quantum wells. We find that quantum confinement and alloy disorder introduce new scattering channels that significantly exacerbate AMR in disordered quantum wells, leading to aggravated efficiency droop compared to the bulk. Based on our findings, we identify promising approaches to mitigate AMR in AlGaN deep-UV LEDs.