Assessment of electrical and optical properties of heavily Fe-implanted semi-insulating InP

We report total compensation of InP layers Ii-doped to levels as high as n = 2 x 10(18) cm(-3) by high temperature (> 200 degreesC) MeV Fg implantatio n and annealing. The electronic density and the active Fe (in the form of t he Fe2+/Fe3+ deep acceptor states) profiles are obtained from the compariso n between the current-voltage (I-V) characteristics and the outcome of a nu merical simulation. These results are confirmed by photo-induced current tr ansient spectroscopy (PICTS) experiments. which show a correlation between the Fe activation and the background doping concentration. A deeper insight into the properties of the Fe2+/Fe3+ centers is gained by Fourier transfor m infrared (FTIR) photoluminescence measurements, showing intense and sharp emission peaks at 3.5 mum, associated with Fe intracenter transitions. The corresponding lifetimes have been studied by time resolved integrated phot oluminescence measurements. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reser ved.