A characterization study of the native Oxide layer formed on chemically Etched InP (111)

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Abstract
ISS, AES and angle‐resolved ESCA have been used to characterize the native oxide layer formed on the chemically polished and etched InP (111) surface. It is estimated that this oxide layer is about 30 Å thick and forms a sharp interface at the oxide/InP boundary. The oxide layer is nonhomogeneous. ISS shows that the outermost surface layer is In rich, and AES combined with the ISS results shows that the region just below the surface layer is P rich. The In is believed to be present in the oxide layer as InP and InPO3 in approximately equal concentrations. Only a small amount of In2O3 is detected. Carbon also comprises the oxide layer, and ESCA shows that it is present as graphite and/or hydrocarbons. The region below the oxide layer is P rich, but depth profiling using AES while sputtering suggests that the composition may approach that of InP with increasing depth.