Low-temperature annealing behavior of defects in Mg-ion-implanted GaN studied using MOS diodes and monoenergetic positron beam

Abstract

Abstract Mg ions were implanted into Si-doped (5 × 1017 cm–3) n-GaN at a dose of 1.5 × 1011 or 1.5 × 1012 cm–2. MOS diodes were used to characterize the implanted GaN after 300 °C annealing for 3 h and after additional 500 °C annealing for 3 min. Although capacitance–voltage (C–V) characteristics varied with the dosage, the effects of acceptor-like defects induced by ion implantation were observed in the C–V characteristics independently of dosage and annealing temperature. A defect level at approximately 0.25 eV below the conduction band edge was detected electrically. By positron annihilation spectroscopy, its origin was identified as a divacancy consisting of Ga and N vacancies. It was found that its density compared with that of as-implanted GaN decreased with 300 °C annealing, and further increased with 500 °C annealing. This phenomenon was explained on the basis of the difference between the diffusion barriers of possible point defects.