High-sensitivity x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy characterization of a quantum device structure

Abstract

A high-resolution, high-sensitivity VG x-ray photoelectron spectrometer was used to study a semiconductor layer structure grown for the fabrication of resonant tunneling bipolar transistor devices. Depth profiling using argon ion milling, at a rate of 50 Å/min, has allowed the device layers to be identified on the basis of their elemental composition. The measurement system sensitivity was sufficient to identify the elemental components of the 11 Å AlAs barrier layer in quantum tunneling InGaAs/AlAs device layers.