Hydrogen effects on ZnSe/GaAs interface: A photoreflectance study

Abstract

ZnSe/GaAs heteroepitaxial structures were prepared by metalorganic chemical vapor deposition with the use of thermal cleaning treatments at varying hydrogen flow rates in preparing the substrate. The photoreflectance spectra for the samples prepared revealed Franz–Keldysh oscillation (FKO) signals with the superimposition of free exciton transition features. The FKO signals changed depending on the hydrogen flow rate while the exciton transition features remained unchanged. Fitting through Aspnes’ and Franz–Keldysh’s model showed that the built-in electric field at the interface increased as the hydrogen flow rate decreased. These results imply that the hydrogen flow rate in the course of thermal etching plays a crucial role in the change of the energy-band profile at the interface.