Interplay of vacancies, hydrogen, and electrical compensation in irradiated and annealed <i>n</i>-type <i>β</i>-Ga₂O₃

Positron annihilation spectroscopy, Fourier transform-infrared absorption and secondary ion mass spectrometry have been used to study the behavior of gallium vacancy-related defects hydrogen in deuterium (D) implanted subsequently annealed β-Ga2O3 single crystals. The data suggest implantation generates a plethora VGa-related species, including VGa1- VGa2-type defects. latter’s contribution positron signal was enhanced after an anneal at 300 °C, which is driven by passivation VGaib as seen from infrared measurements. Subsequent annealing near 600 °C returns levels similar those as-received samples, suggests that split VGa-like are still present sample. almost complete removal VGaib-2D vibrational line, appearance new weak O-D lines same spectral region, lack D out-diffusion samples promotes formation either D-containing, IR-inactive complexes or defect between other implantation-induced degree electrical compensation found be governed interactions Ga vacancies hydrogen.