Activation of Mg acceptor in GaN:Mg with pulsed KrF (248 nm) excimer laser irradiation

We report on the activation of Mg acceptors in Mg-doped GaN films, grown by metalorganic chemical vapor deposition, via the use of a pulsed KrF (248 nm) excimer laser irradiation. The as-grown GaN: Mg, which was irradiated by the KrF excimer laser at a laser energy density of 590 mJ/cm(2) in a N-2 ambient showed a hole concentration of 4.42 x 10(17) cm(-3). Furthermore the hole concentration in GaN: Mg, which was activated by a conventional rapid thermal annealing, was increased from 4.3 x 10(17) to 9.42 x 10(17) cm(-3) as the result of subsequent laser irradiation. These results suggest that a pulsed KrF excimer laser irradiation can dramatically enhance the p-type conductivity of GaN: Mg by efficiently dissociating the Mg-H complexes.