The behavior of Zn acceptors in p-type layers during thermal annealing in gaseous AsH3-H2 mixtures was investigated. It was found that the electrical activity of Zn acceptors was greatly affected by H atoms which originated from the arsine during annealing. In addition, observations of atomic disordering suggested that H passivation of Zn acceptors suppressed atomic diffusion. The results could be consistently explained by a simple H passivation model which involved the termination of dangling bonds by H atoms.

A.Ishibashi, M.Mannoh, I.Kidoguchi, Y.Ban, K.Ohnaka: Applied Physics Letters, 1994, 65[10], 1275-7