Three-photon excited PL spectroscopy and photo-generated Frenkel defects in wide-bandgap layered CdI2 semiconductors

Abstract

We performed a three-photon excitation nonlinear photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy in single crystals of wide-bandgap semiconductors (WBSs). The crystal temperature (TL)-dependent PL emission intensity (IPL) excited with different excitation power density (P) was measured. The PL emissions showed characteristics IPL with their maxima at around 520 nm. The IPL might be due to the presence of the photo-generated Frenkel defects (FDs) in WBSs. A detailed analysis of the PL spectra showed a thirdorder power law dependence of the maximum IPL on P for all the crystal temperature TL. The IPL was found to increase with decreasing TL. The results demonstrated the existence of the self-trapped excitons resulting from the presence of the FDs in the crystals.