We implanted at 300 eV into Cu-chalcopyrite semiconductors at temperatures between 50°C and 300°C. The surface chemistry is similar to the previously reported behavior of CuInS2 implanted with a H2+, H+ low energy ion beam [1] with respect to secondary phase etching. We also found an increase of radiative recombination (photoluminescence), which had been attributed to defect passivation and, hence, as an indicator of hydrogen incorporation [2]. Under the 300 eV implantation conditions, however, we observed neither a hydrogen concentration in a few hundred nm surface range exceeding the NRA detection limit of about 1×1019 cm-3 nor a pronounced stoichiometry variation in the ternary material, as proved by Raman measurements.

We conclude, therefore, that a 300 eV implantation introduces significantly less atomic hydrogen into the volume of the sample than previously reported for other beam compositions under similar temperature and current density conditions. This could be a result of the very low energy of less than 100 eV which can be expected for atomic H produced by dissociation of 300 eV at the surface, making the instant out-diffusion into the high vacuum of the implantation chamber a favored process.