The influence of the physicochemical nature of the components of the V2O5/GaAs, MnO2/GaAs, V2O5/InP, MnO2/InP, TiO2/InP, and SnO2/InP heterostructures and the oxidation conditions on the surface morphology of the synthesised films

Abstract

The formation of oxide functional films on the surface of semiconductors is a serious technological challenge, which is even more complicated in the nanometre thickness range. It is necessary to form films with specified values of thickness, resistivity, and a certain surface morphology for practical applications. Such films are used in micro- and optoelectronics, environmental monitoring, and alternative energy devices. The goal of this work is to establish the features of the surface morphology of thin films formed as a result of the thermal oxidation of the MnO2/GaAs, V2O5/GaAs, V2O5/InP, MnO2/InP, TiO2/InP, and SnO2/InP heterostructures depending on the physicochemical nature of the components and the oxidation conditions. The synthesis of thin films on the InP and GaAs surfaces was carried out by thermal oxidation under the influence of magnetron-deposited layers of chemostimulator-modifiers. The thickness of the formed films and their composition were determined by laser ellipsometry, X-ray phase analysis, and infra-red spectroscopy. The scanning tunnel and atomic force microscopy were used to determine the morphological characteristics of the films and their dependence on the type of semiconductor substrate, the nature of the chemostimulator-modifier, and the conditions of the thermal oxidation. The application to the GaАs and InP surfaces of the most effective chemostimulator-modifiers (V2O5 and MnO2) of thermal oxidation and higher temperatures of the oxidation process contributed to the formation of smoother and nanostructured films.