Hydrogen Passivation Of Er-Doped AIN

Abstract

AbstractAIN(Er) doped with Er during Metal Organic Molecular Beam Epitaxy has been plasma hydrogenated in-situ at 200–250°C using an Electron Cyclotron Resonance source. By isotopic substitution of 2H for 1H, we have found from Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry profiling that a 30 min hydrogenation treatment can incorporate ˜2×1019cm−3 deuterium atoms to depths ≥1μm. The intensity of the 1.54μm Er3+ luminescence is increased by a factor of ˜5 by the 200°C hydrogenation, and this effect is thermally stable to 300°C, indicating a binding energy of >1.5eV for hydrogen at defects in the AIN. These defects would normally either be recombination centers or provide an alternative de-excitation path for the Er. We have previously found that AIN provides the best resistance to thermal quenching of Er luminescence of any semiconductor due to its wide bandgap. Together, these results suggest that AIN(Er) may be a promising material for optical control of devices such as light-triggered SiC or GaN thyristors for power switching applications, where a fiber-transmitted signal from temperaturetolerant material is necessary in controlling power distribution grids. Hydrogen does not leave the AIN until ˜800°C and presumably forms an intermediate state such as H2 or larger clusters prior to evolution from the surface, and again this stability is among the best for any semiconductor.