SiO2 growth on GaAs as a result of chemical reactions between Si and GaAs oxides

Abstract

A study of the interfacial chemical reactivity of Si with GaAs oxides has been performed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The deposition of Si on an oxidized GaAs substrate results in the complete reduction of the GaAs oxide layer (about 5 Å thick) and the formation of SiO2 at the GaAs interface. The kinetics of the interfacial reactions have been investigated. A quantitative treatment of the XPS data reveals the formation of a GaAs/SiO2/Si structure, where the Si overlayer grows homogeneously and no gross interdiffusion between the GaAs substrate and the Si overlayer occurs.