Interaction of atomic hydrogen with cleaved InP. II. The decomposition stage

Abstract

Auger electron spectroscopy, electron energy-loss spectroscopy, low-energy electron diffraction, and photoemission yield spectroscopy have been used to study the interaction of atomic hydrogen with cleaved InP(110) upon heavy hydrogenation. Beyond the initial adsorption stage, the substrate dissociates into In metal and possibly two hydrogenated compounds of P, among which most likely phosphine PH3, which remain adsorbed on the surface. This interaction stage is characterized by the existence of the ‘‘black hole’’ phenomenon in photoemission yield spectroscopy, i.e., the complete disappearance of the photoemission signal at 5.3 and ∼5 eV, photon energies specific of the adsorbed species. The hydrogenated compounds desorb upon heating at 525 °C leaving a surface close to its H-adsorbed state. From there on, the properties of the surface can by cycled by, alternately, introducing a new heavy dose of H and annealing.