Acceptor activation of Mg-doped GaN by microwave treatment

A microwave treatment method different from thermal annealing and low-energ y electron beam irradiation was proposed to activate Mg dopants in p-type G aN epitaxial layer. From photoluminescence spectra and Hall effect measurem ents, it was shown that microwave treatment is a very effective way to acti vate the acceptors in Mg-doped p-type GaN layer. The activation of Mg dopan t in p-type GaN layer may be explained as the breaking of magnesium-hydroge n bonding due to the microwave energy absorption. (C) 2001 American Institu te of Physics.