PASSIVATION OF INGAAS INP SURFACE QUANTUM-WELLS BY ION-GUN HYDROGENATION/

We have investigated the optical properties of an InGaAs/InP surface q uantum well before and after room-temperature low-energy ion-gun hydro genation. The luminescence efficiency of the surface quantum well was enhanced by up to two orders of magnitude after hydrogenation. Our exp eriments also reveal that the nonradiative recombination centers at th e etched surface can be saturated by increasing excitation density for the photoluminescence measurement. To ''unmask'' the effects of the s aturation of recombination sites, for a true comparison of passivation effects brought about by different surface treatments, an excitation density below 1 W/cm2 is required.