AUGER SUPPRESSION IN CDHGTE HETEROSTRUCTURE DIODES GROWN BY MOLECULAR-BEAM EPITAXY USING SILVER AS ACCEPTOR DOPANT

Negative differential resistance due to Auger suppression is demonstra ted in CdHgTe diodes grown by molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) using silve r as acceptor dopant. These devices require growth of relatively compl icated heterostructures, and control of n- and p-type doping over a la rge range. For this reason, the use of silver as an acceptor in CdHgTe devices grown by MBE has been reexamined. The results show that the d iffusion of silver at the growth temperature does not necessarily prec lude the use of silver doping in devices. For concentrations up to hig h 10(17) cm(-3), silver appears to be fully electrically active. (C) 1 996 American Institute of Physics.