Accumulation of fluorine in CF4 plasma-treated AlGaN/GaN heterostructure interface: An experimental investigation

The impact of CF4 plasma treatment on the transport properties of the two dimensional electron gas (2DEG) in AlGaN/GaN heterostrustures has been studied. Systematic Hall measurements of the plasma-treated samples show a large degradation in mobility and sheet concentration, which can be partially recovered with short-duration rapid thermal annealing. Further annealing progressively degrades both mobility and sheet concentration. Secondary ion mass spectrometry of the heterostructure reveals accumulation of fluorine at the AlGaN/GaN interface close to the 2DEG channel as a result of annealing. Following our systematic electrical and analytical studies of the behavior of fluorine incorporated into the heterostructure epilayer due to bombardment, a vacancy-mediated postannealing redistribution of fluorine has been proposed.