We present a systematic study of atomic hydrogen passivation of Be doped AlGaAs/GaAs quantum well (QW) structures by photoluminescence spectroscopy. High quality AlGaAs/GaAs QWs with centrally doped Be acceptors have been subjected to dc H plasma at different sample temperatures and gas pressures. It is found that the percentage of deactivated Be acceptors strongly depends on sample temperature during H-plasma treatments and on the cooling down procedure after dc H-plasma treatment, while the duration of H-plasma treatments is less critical. Without causing degradation of the AlGaAs/GaAs interfaces, we have obtained a deactivation of up to 82&percent; of the Be acceptors. ©1997 American Institute of Physics.