Thermal behavior of atomic hydrogen passivated acceptors in p-InP

The Zn and Be doped (1 to 2/spl times/10/sup 18/ cm/sup -3/) p-InP samples are first hydrogenated by exposing to a deuterium (D) plasma to passivate (or neutralize) acceptors through dopant-H interactions. Later on, subsequent to 10 min isochronal anneals up to 450/spl deg/C, the reactivation of holes is monitored to determine activation energies, /spl sim/0.7 eV for Zn and 1.08 eV for Be. These values clearly imply a good thermal stability of acceptor passivation and open a way for the implementation of hydrogenation in the photon device technology.