Preferential evaporation of In from GaxIn1−xAs

Abstract
We have observed a significant change in the surface composition of the ternary GaxIn1−xAs at temperatures ≳500 °C due to the preferential evaporation of In. Both Auger electron analysis of the surface and quadrupole mass analysis of the evaporation products were used to study this evaporation. Controlled sputter etching indicated that the In‐depleted region was 5–6 atom layers deep. The reconstruction of both the normal and In‐depleted surfaces was the same, as indicated by LEED and there was no change in the basic III‐V stoichiometry. Some possible consequences of such a surface composition change are briefly discussed for the case of photoemission from cesiated surfaces.