Auger electron spectroscopy and electron loss spectroscopy comparative study of vacuum annealing effects on InP surface

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Abstract
Auger electron spectroscopy (AES) and electron loss spectroscopy (ELS) have been performed in order to investigate vacuum annealing effects on InP surface. Both techniques appeared suitable for detecting indium clustering induced by thermal surface decomposition through InM4.5N4.5N4.5 spectrum modifications (AES) and In plasmon excitation (ELS). The formation of In microinclusions at the surface is detected by the two techniques for annealing temperature of 460±30 °C. In addition, AES shows that phosphorus has a complex behavior near the surface involving diffusion from the bulk, surface segregation, and desorption. These competitive mechanisms are shown to result in phosphorus enrichment or depletion of the surface layer depending mainly on the annealing temperature.