Conclusion

The charge carrier recombination mechanisms described in this article are common to both cathodo- and photoluminescence – PL (laser excitation), which is increasingly used to complement CL studies. The spatial resolution of cathodoluminescence, well in excess of a micrometer, has been a major factor in the boom in the study of semiconductor nanostructures since 2000. In addition to its ability to detect point defects in materials by spectral analysis, it can be used to image and characterize extended defects in luminescent crystals, and thus identify the origin of luminescence fluctuations. It has become indispensable in the characterization of nanostructures, and is all the more relevant when coupled with other methods such as Raman microscopy and transmission electron microscopy.