Photoluminescence Detection of Shallow Impurity Neutralization in Iii-V Compound Semiconductors

Abstract

ABSTRACTWe studied the low-temperature photoluminescence (PL) of several III–V compound semiconductors before and after hydrogen-plasma treatment. Drastic intensity changes of the bound exciton luminescence after hydrogen plasma treatments indicate a neutralization of impurities by the atomic hydrogen. In GaP, neutralization of the sulfur donor as well as the acceptors (C, Zn, Cd) is observed. The intense luminescence of the exciton bound to isoelectronic N in GaP is fully quenched by hydrogen plasma treatment.