Evidence for a phosphorus-related interfacial defect complex at a GaP/GaNP heterojunction

• Optically detected magnetic resonance (ODMR) studies of molecular beam epitaxial GaNP/GaP structures reveal presence of a P-related complex defect, evident from its resolved hyperfine interaction between an unpaired electronic spin (S=1/2) and a nuclear spin (I = ½) of a 31P atom. The principal axis of the defect is concluded to be along a <111> crystallographic direction from angular dependence of the ODMR spectrum, restricting the P atom (either a PGa antisite or a Pi interstitial) and its partner in the complex defect to be oriented along this direction. The principal values of the electronic g-tensor and hyperfine interaction tensor are determined as: g┴=2.013, g║=2.002, and A┴=130´10-4 cm-1, A║=330´10-4 cm-1, respectively. The interface nature of the defect is clearly manifested by the absence of the ODMR lines originating from two out of four equivalent <111> orientations. Defect formation is shown to be facilitated by nitrogen ion bombardment under non-equilibrium growth conditions and the defect is thermally stable upon post-growth thermal annealing.

Subject headings

NATURVETENSKAP  -- Fysik -- Den kondenserade materiens fysik (hsv//swe)

NATURAL SCIENCES  -- Physical Sciences -- Condensed Matter Physics (hsv//eng)

Keyword

Semiconductor physics

Halvledarfysik

Publication and Content Type

ref (subject category)

art (subject category)