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Study of the influence of native oxide layers on atomic force microscopy imaging of semiconductor surfaces

  • Scanning Probe Methods in Materials Science. Part I
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Abstract

We have investigated the influence of the native oxide layer on semiconductor surfaces on the imaging properties of the atomic force microscope operated under ambient conditions by using epitaxial In1−x Ga x As layers grown by Metal-Organic Chemical Vapour Deposition (MOCVD) on (001) oriented InP substrates which have been kept under ambient conditions for two years. The thickness and composition of the native oxide layers were studied with ellipsometry and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, respectively. Subsequently, the sample surfaces were imaged by means of atomic force microscopy operated in air which revealed terrace structures separated by monoatomic steps. The obtained data were compared with the surface morphology which can be expected from the MOCVD growth process. The results suggest that an accurate study of semiconductor layer growth by atomic force microscopy in air is possible.

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Author notes

  1. U. D. Schwarz

    Present address: Institute of Physics, University of Basel, Klingelbergstrasse 82, CH-4056, Basel, Switzerland

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Applied Physics, University of Hamburg, Jungiusstrasse 11, D-20355, Hamburg, Germany

    H. Bluhm & F. Herrmann

  2. Institute of Crystallography and Solid State Physics, University of Technology, Mommsenstrasse 13, D-01069, Dresden, Germany

    P. Paufler

Authors
  1. H. Bluhm
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  2. U. D. Schwarz
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  3. F. Herrmann
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  4. P. Paufler
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Bluhm, H., Schwarz, U.D., Herrmann, F. et al. Study of the influence of native oxide layers on atomic force microscopy imaging of semiconductor surfaces. Appl. Phys. A 59, 23–27 (1994). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00348415

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00348415

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