HYDROGEN IN SEMICONDUCTORS

Hydrogen strongly affects the properties of electronic materials. Interstitial monatomic hydrogen is always electrically active and usually counteracts the prevailing conductivity of the semiconductor. In some materials, however, hydrogen acts as a source of doping. We describe the mechanisms that govern interactions between hydrogen and semiconductors, including monatomic hydrogen, hydrogen molecules, and hydrogen-related complexes. We also discuss the behavior of hydrogen on the surface and its role in the growth process. The fundamental principles are illustrated with practical examples, many of them for the technologically relevant case of gallium nitride.