An application of electrolytic deposition for the electronic passivation of GaAs surfaces through the formation of thin organic films

Abstract

We report a new method, based on electrolytic deposition, to passivate GaAs surfaces electronically with thin organic films. This enables us to perform the surface treatment with a reduction in the surface recombination velocity and the formation of insulator layers at the same time, without an energetic process, such as evaporation, sputtering or growth from a plasma, which results in the production of damaged surface layers involving a high density of surface states. The film-forming material used has a moiety containing reactive sulfur (-S −) that is assumed to bond directly to the GaAs surface, and long alkyl chains acting as an insulating part. Electronic investigations of the treated surface have revealed that the present method substantially improves the surface electronic properties of GaAs.