Phonon-plasmon coupled modes in GaN

The phonon lifetime in GaN is known to exhibit a dependence on electron density. Recent noise measurements have also shown the lifetime to be temperature dependent. The source of these dependences is the coupling of the phonon and plasmon populations through the dielectric function. The effect of this anharmonicity is illustrated by comparing the frequency and wavevector dependent coupled-mode momentum relaxation rate with the phonon momentum relaxation rate obtained by Callen. A simple model that includes the anharmonic interaction and phonon migration yields phonon lifetimes depending on both electron density and temperature.