Electric-Field-Enhanced Thermal Emission from Osmium-Related Deep Level in n-GaAs

Abstract

Deep-level defects related with 5d transition metal, osmium (Os) have been studied in ntype GaAs. Os has been incorporated in epitaxial n-GaAs layers in situ, during growth by lowpressure metal-organic chemical vapour phase epitaxy (MOVPE) technique. Mesa p+nn+ junction diodes are fabricated for investigations by deep level transient spectroscopy (DLTS). Two deeplevel peaks, observed in majority carrier (electron) emission spectra, Os1 and Os2, show a significant shift in peak positions to lower temperatures with the applied junction reverse bias, demonstrating enhancement of the thermal emission rate by the junction electric field. Doublecorrelation DLTS (DDLTS) measurements have been employed for accurate quantitative investigations of the observed field dependence. However, in view of the relatively small concentration of the deep level Os1, this technique is found to yield reliable data only for the deep level corresponding to the dominant peak, Os2. Detailed data have been obtained on the field effect for Os2, extending over junction electric field values 3 x 106 V/m - 1.2 x 107 V/m. The measured emission rate signatures show a reduction of the thermal activation energy from 0.48 eV to 0.21 eV for Os2 over this electric field range. Analysis of the data in terms of the recent theoretical work on field dependence indicates that Os2 is associated with a substitutional Os donor.