Annihilation of nonradiative recombination centers in GaAs/AlGaAs multiquantum well structures as a result of exposure to plasma

The effect of exposure to a low-energy plasma (CF4, Ar, Kr)on the photoluminescence properties of GaAs/AlGaAs multiquantum well structures is examined. It is shown that the photoluminescence of the quantum wells in the surface region is quenched after plasma exposure and the depth of this region increases with increase of exposure time. The photoluminescence intensity from the quantum wells located beyond this region increases. We associate these changes in the photoluminescence intensity with the effect of plasma-induced nonequilibrium point defects diffusing with anomalous rapidity into the depth of the structure. (C) 1997 American Institute of Physics. [S1063-7826(97)00612-1].