A study of the formation modes of nanosized oxide structures of gallium arsenide by local anodic oxidation

Abstract

Results obtained in a study of the influence exerted by the technological modes of local anodic oxidation (LAO) on the process in which nanosized oxide structures (NOSs) are formed on the surface of gallium arsenide are reported. The effect of the amplitude and duration of voltage pulses applied to the probesubstrate system, relative air humidity in the technological chamber, and amplitude of cantilever oscillations on the geometric parameters of gallium arsenide NOSs has been examined. It was found that raising the relative humidity from 60 to 90% results in a decrease in the threshold LAO voltage from 7.0 to 6.0 V. It is shown that raising the oscillation amplitude from 0.1 to 2.8 nm leads to a decrease in the NOS height from 3.20 ± 0.34 to 1.10 ± 0.13 nm and in the NOS diameter from 218.4 ± 29.5 to 78.1 ± 10.3 nm.