FORMATION OF HOMOINTERFACE AND HETEROINTERFACE IN CDXHG1-XTE SOLID-SOLUTIONS BY PULSE LASER IRRADIATION

Comprehensive investigations were made of the photoconductivity, photo magnetic effect, magnetic field dependences of the Hall coefficient an d of the relative conductivity in n- and p-type CdxHg1-xTe (CMT) solid solutions, which were irradiated with nanosecond ruby laser pulses. T he samples were distinguished by both the structural and the component composition. Irradiation of CMT with subthreshold energy density modi fied the point-defect structure in the surface layer and improved homo geneity. An increase in the energy density shifted the maximum and the long-wavelength edge of the photoconductivity spectra toward shorter wavelengths and increased the photosensitivity of the epitaxial CMT la yers with a cellular structure. Laser irradiation resulted in formatio n of an acceptor enriched layer in surface region of CMT samples. In t he case of n-type crystals a conduction type inversion occurred and a built-in p-n junction arose; in p-type CMT epitaxial films p(+)-p junc tion arose under the action of nanosecond laser pulses. (C) 1998 Elsev ier Science B.V.