Hydrogen and nitrogen plasma treatment effects on surface properties of GaSb and InGaAsSb

Abstract P - i - n diodes of GaSb InGaAsSb were treated in atomic hydrogen and atomic nitrogen flows in a microwave plasma crossed beams machine and in direct H 2 and N 2 plasma. The first type of treatment led to degradation of reverse currents of the diodes. Direct plasma treatments in H 2 alone also led to a deterioration of the surface properties. However, combined treatment at 450°C in direct H 2 and N 2 plasmas improved the reverse currents and photoluminescence (PL) intensity by more than an order of magnitude. Formation of a passivating GaN layer at the surface of GaSb depleted of Sb by preliminary intense H 2 treatment is thought to be responsible for the effect.