Investigation of the compensation mechanism in semi-insulating GaAs from alpha-spectra studies at low temperature

摘要

We present the results of charge collection measurements on liquid encapsulated Czochralski grown semi-insulating GaAs devices for alpha particles. Experimental evidence is given which demonstrates a drastic enhancement of charge collection efficiency after prolonged illumination with 1.086μm below-gap light. The recovery of EL2 from metastable state to normal state can also be achieved by electric field at high bias voltage. The experimental result shows that the EL2 defect is practically the dominant trap for free charge carriers and together with other shallow defects responsible for the electric compensation in semi-insulating GaAs. The metastable transition of the EL2 defect is always simultaneously accompanied by the neutralization of a shallow acceptor. No change in the type of conductivity was found. # 1997 American Institute of Physics. S0003-6951 (97)01120-0