Recombination-enhanced annealing of the E1 and E2 defect levels in 1-MeV-electron–irradiated n-GaAs

Abstract

Recombination-enhanced annealing of the E1 (Ec−0.08 eV) and E2 (Ec−0.18 eV) defect levels in n-GaAs has been studied by deep-level transient spectroscopy (DLTS). The defects are controllably introduced at room temperature by irradiation with 1-MeV electrons. Thermal annealing at reverse and zero bias yields an activation energy of ΔE=1.75±0.17 eV and shows that charge-state effects are not operative. Recombination annealing produces an enhancement of several orders of magnitude in the annealing rate and an activation energy of 0.98±0.10 eV. The annealing reaction obeys first-order kinetics and does not saturate with injection currents up to 350 A/cm2. The relationship of this data to earlier observations of recombination-enhanced annealing (motion) in GaAs and GaP is discussed as well as the possible implications for injection-mode device degradation.