Two techniques are used to fabricate n-layers on differently doped HgCdTe: (1) the ion beam milling (IBM) or (2) anodic oxidation followed by annealing (AO/A). Comparative analysis was performed to get additional knowledge about how n-layers are formed. HgCdTe samples with the hole conductivity caused by either intrinsic points defects (metal vacancy) or impurities (As, Au, Cu and Ag) were studied. The IBM etching system with Ar+ ions was used to perform IBM under ion energy E = 500 eV. The samples were anodised in standard conditions and then they were annealed in air at 428 K. The Hall measurements were conducted at 77 K in the fields 0.01–1.5 T and analysed to make the initial and step-by-step characterisation. It was found that the IBM forms the n-layer in all HgCdTe. In contrast, the AO/A causes the formation of the n-layer in Hg-vacancy doped HgCdTe only. A common reason of the n-layer formation in HgCdTe under the IM and AO/A is the superfast diffusion of excess Hg interstitials and their interaction with Hg vacancies and extrinsic acceptors. But the post-anneal excess Hg concentration at the oxide-semiconductor interface is much lower than that after IBM. Though this concentration is sufficient to convert the Hg vacancy-doped HgCdTe, its value is too small to ensure the conversion of impurity doped materials. Thermodynamic calculations allow predicting the conditions necessary to form the n-layer and evaluating its stability.

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