Spin-dependent recombination in GaAs N solid solutions

A spin-dependent recombination at room-temperature in a series of GaAs1-xNx solid solutions (x = 2.1, 2.7, 3.4%) has been observed as manifested by a more than threefold decrease in intensity of the edge photoluminescence upon switching from circular to linear polarization of the exciting light or upon the application of a transverse magnetic field (∼ 300 G). The interband absorption of the circularly polarized light is accompanied by the spin polarization of conduction electrons, which reaches 35% with an increase in the pumping level. The observed effects are explained in terms of the dynamic polarization of deep paramagnetic centers and the spin-dependent trapping of conduction electrons on these centers. The electron spin relaxation time is estimated to be of the order of 1 ns