Compositional changes on GaN surfaces under low-energy ion bombardment studied by synchrotron-based spectroscopies

Abstract

We have investigated compositional changes on GaN surfaces under Ar-ion bombardment using synchrotron-based high-resolution x-ray photoemission (PES) and near-edge x-ray absorption fine structure (NEXAFS) spectroscopy. The low-energy ion bombardment of GaN produces a Ga-rich surface layer which transforms into a metallic Ga layer at higher bombarding energies. At the same time, the photoemission spectra around N 1s core levels reveal the presence of both uncoordinated nitrogen and nitrogen interstitials, which we have analyzed in more details by x-ray absorption measurements at N K edge. We have demonstrated that PES and NEXAFS provide a powerful combination for studying the compositional changes on GaN surfaces. A mechanism for the relocation and loss of nitrogen during ion bombardment in agreement with some recent experimental and theoretical studies of defect formation in GaN has been proposed.