Metallization-induced damage in III-V semiconductors

Damage introduced from sputtering deposition, electron-beam evaporation, an d thermal evaporation were investigated with an InGaAs/GaAs strained quantu m well structure. This strained quantum well structure was found to be a mo re sensitive probe of damage, revealing metallization-induced damage where none was found using comparable lattice-matched quantum wells. The damage w as found to vary with deposition method, deposition rates, or even differen t metal sources used. Noticeable degradation of the photoluminescence of th e strained quantum well was observed after a thin layer (similar to 100 Ang strom) of metal was deposited. (C) 1998 American Vacuum Society. [S0734-211 X(98)02406-8].