Native oxides and carbon contamination removal from InAs(100) surface by molecular hydrogen flow at moderate substrate temperatures: Stoichiometric and morphological studies

Abstract

Native oxides and carbonaceous contamination removal from InAs(100) surfaces by thermal annealing at reduced temperatures under molecular hydrogen flow is reported and compared to vacuum annealing at similar temperatures. The thermal annealing experiments were carried out in the 250–360 °C range and at constant hydrogen pressure of 5×10−6 torr. The complete reduction of native oxides and carbon contamination was achieved at temperatures as low as 300 and 340 °C, respectively, under molecular hydrogen flux. Chemical and compositional monitoring of the surface was performed by x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and x-ray induced Auger spectroscopy. The surface morphology, before and after annealing, was imaged by atomic force microscope at tapping noncontact mode.