Structure Analysis of the Al-Inp (100) Interface

Abstract

ABSTRACTHigh Resolution Electron Microscopy (HREM) images of the Al/InP interface were obtained from as-deposited films. The high purity Al films were deposited onto a clean (100) InP surface in a Molecular Beam Epitaxy (MBE) chamber. The in situ Reflection High Energy Electron Diffraction (RHEED) and Ultra-Violet Photoemission Spectroscopy (UPS) analyses showed a transformation of the InP surface during the Al deposition. The UPS data are interpreted as a strong exchange reaction between incoming Al and substrate In atoms. The In atoms are released and recover metallic behavior while Al atoms are involved in covalent bonds. At high coverages the RHEED analysis shows an epitaxial relationship in between Al and InP such as (110)Al//(100)InP with the two variants: [001]Al//[011]InP and [001]Al//[0–11]InP. The HREM images show that the interface AI/InP is perturbed and an intermediate layer is found. This layer appears to have the same crystal structure as InP indicated by extension of atomic planes from InP to the layer. However, the observed intensity, which corresponds to the mean potential of the forming atoms, is lighter than that of InP. Hence,out of these HREM and UPS results it is derived that an AlP or AlxIn1−xP compound is located at the Al/InP interface.