Abstract
The effects of electron beam (EB) irradiation and subsequent Cl2 exposure on GaAs surface photo-oxides were investigated using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Photo-oxides formed by visible-light-enhanced oxidation of c(4×4) GaAs surfaces were irradiated by an electron beam of 1.5 keV energy with doses ranging from 7.1×1016 to 2.1×1018 electrons/cm2. Chlorine was subsequently dosed up to 20 langmuirs using a AgCl electrochemical cell. Chlorine was not adsorbed on the photo-oxides, whereas it was readily adsorbed on EB-irradiated photo-oxides. EB irradiation induced the reduction of As5+ and As3+ oxides to less-oxidized As suboxides and/or elemental As, as well as partial removal of surface oxygen. An increase in the amount of Ga oxides was also observed. Chlorine exposure resulted in preferential removal of the EB-induced As suboxides and/or elemental As, as well as removal of As in the GaAs substrate and formation of Ga–Cl bonds. We attribute this to the desorption of AsCl3, and conclude that this “etching” of the surface As oxide is the key to patterning a photo-oxide mask.
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