Microphotoluminescence mapping on CdZnTe: Zn distribution

We report microphotoluminescence (mu -PL) mappings of CdZnTe wafers on micrometer and millimeter scales. The acquired PL spectra have been fitted to a model based on band-to-band transition including the contribution of localized states in the energy gap. The fitting yields energy gap E-g, which is correlated to the Zn fraction x in Cd1-xZnxTe. The statistics of large numbers of fitted E-g reveal the inhomogeneity of the Zn composition while the map of E-g gives the distribution of Zn atoms. The comparison between the PL mappings before and after epi-ready chemomechanical processing show a great improvement in homogeneity due to the removal of surface defects and damage by the processing. Our results demonstrate the feasibility of PL mapping in determining the Zn composition homogeneity and distribution in a CdZnTe wafer. (C) 2001 American Institute of Physics.