INVESTIGATION OF THE 300 degree K ANNEALING STAGE OF GERMANIUM IRRADIATED WITH FAST ELECTRONS AT 77 degree K.

A study was made of the influence of the concentration and nature of the dopant on the 300 degree K annealing stage of n-type germanium doped with As, Sb, or Bi (N//D equals 2. 1 multiplied by 10**1**4-2. 8 multiplied by 10**1**7 cm** minus **3) and irradiated with 4. 5 MeV electrons at T equals 77 degree K. The temperature of the annealing stage depended on the impurity concentration only in the range 5 multiplied by 10**1**4-5 multiplied by 10**1**6 cm** minus **3 and this temperature shifted gradually along the Sb-Bi-As series. This was attributed to a reduction in the activation energy of radiation-defect annealing on increase in the degree of overlap of the wave functions between defects and impurity atoms. This mechanism should (in agreement with the observations) act only in a limited range of donor impurity concentrations and, for a given donor concentration, its influence should increase with the Bohr radius of the impurity. A study was also made of the influence of the concentration and nature of the impurity on the relationships governing the formation of the E//c-0. 21 eV level. It was found that, in the temperature range of the investigated stage, the density of the E//c-0. 21 eV level passed through a maximum, whose position depended on the donor concentration. During the investigated annealing stage, there were at least three processes. An analysis was made of the probable mechanisms of these processes which destroyed a defect with acceptor properties and produced VD//s and D//sV//2 complexes and increased the amount of D//s.