Surface State Passivation and Optical Properties Investigation of GaSb via Nitrogen Plasma Treatment

GaSb is one of the most suitable semiconductors for optoelectronic devices operating in the mid-infrared range. However, the existence of GaSb surface states has dramatically limited the performance of these devices. Herein, a controllable nitrogen passivation approach is proposed for GaSb. The surface states and optical properties of GaSb were found to depend on the N passivation conditions. Varying the plasma power during passivation modified the chemical bonds of the GaSb surface, which influenced the emission efficiency. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy was used to quantitatively demonstrate that the GaSb oxide layer was removed via treatment at a plasma power of 100 W. After nitrogen passivation, the samples exhibited enhanced emission. Free exciton emission was the main factor leading to this enhanced luminescence. An energy band model for the surface states is used to explain the carrier radiative recombination processes. This nitrogen passivation approach can suppress surface states and improve the surface quality of GaSb-based materials and devices. The enhancement in exciton-related emission by this simple approach is important for improving the performance of GaSb-based optoelectronic devices.