Mercury cadmium telluride surface passivation by the thin alumina film atomic-layer deposition

Abstract

We analyzed the C-V curves of CdхHg1-хTe-based (x ∼ 0.22) MIS structures with Al2O3 as an insulator. Alumina films were deposited on p and n type CdхHg1-хTe by atomic layer deposition. C-V curve specific features at high and low frequencies were found to be a result of the semiconductor-dielectric interface surface state influence. The surface state density was derived from the fitting experimental C-V curves at high and low frequencies with the theoretical model. The calculated curves were obtained by solving Poisson and continuity equations within the drift-diffusion model. The charge exchange between the surface states and permitted bands was supposed to be conducted using the Shockley-Read-Hall mechanism.