Native Deep-Level Defects in MBE-Grown p-Type CdTe

Deep-level transient spectroscopy was used to study the defect levels in p-type CdTe layers grown by the molecular-beam epitaxy technique on lattice-mismatched GaAs substrates. In our measurements we have observed five hole traps. Two of the traps, displaying exponential capture kinetics, have been assigned to native point defects, the Cd vacancy and a complex formed of Cd vacancy and Te antisite, produced in the CdTe layers during their growth. The other two traps have been attributed to electronic states of threading dislocations on the ground of their logarithmic capture kinetics. The last trap, which was observed only when the investigated space charge region was close to the metal-semiconductor interface, has been ascribed to surface states.