InP surface conducting films from electron-pulse annealing

Heavily conducting layers have been observed in InP subjected to pulse electron beam annealing. No implantation is involved and sheet resistivities of ∼10 Ω/⧠ are typically obtained. The conduction is confined to within ∼500 Å of the surface and is annealable thermally ∼400 °C. Indicated concentrations are ≳1021 cm−3. Both electron microscopy and Rutherford backscattering show that electron beam annealing leads to a phosphorus loss at the surface. It is presumed that the observed conduction can be attributed to some defect associated with phosphorus loss.