Observation of athermal defect annealing in GaP

Abstract

Capacitance spectroscopy studies of lattice defects intentionally introduced into GaP diodes by 1‐MeV electron irradiation have shown a very large enhancement in the defect annealing rate under conditions of e‐h recombination. Six deep levels are observed and all exhibit recombination enhanced annealing. Four of the levels anneal athermally during recombination having the same rate at 100 K as at 300 K. Comparisons of the thermal annealing activation energy and the energy released during hole capture indicate that the observed athermal enhancement is a natural consequence of the wide GaP band gap.