Laser-Induced Activation of p-Type GaN with the Second Harmonics of a Nd:YAG Laser

Abstract

Magnesium-doped p-type GaN has been activated by irradiation with photons of 532 nm wavelength from the second harmonic of a Q-switched neodymium-doped ytterbium aluminum garnet (Nd:YAG) laser. With appropriate laser fluence levels and irradiation pulse numbers, such a laser-induced activation process resulted in a hole concentration about the same as that obtained through the conventional thermal activation technique. Temperature measurement revealed that the laser-induced process is very unlikely to be thermal. It was speculated that the process might involve the photon-induced breaking of the H–Mg bonds.