Suppression of InP substrate degradation by hydrogen plasma caused by the presence of phosphorus vapour

It is demonstrated that the degradation of InP substrates in a hydrogen plasma can be prevented by the introduction of phosphorus vapour into the reaction chamber. The results obtained, using standard surface analysis techniques and photoluminescence depth profiling, indicate that the stoichiometry of the InP surface region can be preserved and the number of P-vacancies which diffuse into the bulk drastically reduced.