Reduced phosphorus loss from InP surface during hydrogen plasma treatment

Abstract

A new method for plasma hydrogenation of InP with a reduced phosphorus loss is reported. The loss of P from InP surface is suppressed by the use of a sacrificial InP wafer kept directly in the plasma while the test sample is kept away from it in a downstream geometry. It is shown using photoluminescence that the P vacancy related transitions are considerably reduced for InP hydrogenated in the presence of a sacrificial wafer when compared to the one hydrogenated without it. The results suggest the utility of the sacrificial InP wafer in providing a P overpressure during H plasma exposure.