Oxidation Of GaAs Research Articles

In English

The synthesis and characterization of heterostructure por-Ga2O3/GaAs represent a crucial advancement in nanomaterials, particularly in optoelectronic applications. Employing a two-stage electrochemical etching methodology, this research has elucidated the precise conditions required to fabricate such a heterostructure. The initial stage involves etching monocrystalline gallium arsenide (GaAs) using an aqueous nitric acid solution as the electrolyte. This process is governed by the redox reactions at the crystal-electrolyte interface, where GaAs are partially oxidized and selectively etched. The second stage introduces ethanol into the electrolytic solution. This chemical addition serves a dual purpose: Firstly, it modulates the electrochemical environment, allowing for controlling pore morphology in GaAs. Secondly, it facilitates the etching of the resultant oxide layer, which predominantly consists of gallium oxide (Ga2O3). The formation of this oxide layer can be attributed to the oxidation of GaAs, driven by the electrochemical potentials and resulting in the deposition of reaction by-products on the substrate surface. The fabricated nanocomposite was comprehensively characterized using Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Energy Dispersive X-ray Analysis (EDX), and Raman Spectroscopy. SEM imaging revealed a range of agglomerated nanostructures dispersed across the surface, with dimensions ranging from 8–25 μm, 1–1.5 μm, and 70–100 nm. These observations suggest a hierarchical pore structure indicative of a complex etching mechanism modulated by the electrolyte composition. Raman spectroscopic analysis corroborated the presence of various phases in the heterostructure. Signals corresponding to bulk GaAs, serving as the substrate, were distinguishable. In addition, peaks indicative of porous GaAs and porous Ga2O3 were observed. A cubic phase in the Ga2O3 layer was particularly noteworthy, suggesting a higher degree of crystallinity. Notably, the absence of Raman-active modes associated with internal stresses implies that the fabricated heterostructure is of high quality.

Study and characterization of the nanotextured Ga2O3-GaOOH formations synthesized via thermal oxidation of GaAs in ambient air

In this work, we present the characterization of a UV-sensitive material based on Ga2O3-GaOOH, which was obtained through the thermal oxidation of GaAs wafers in ambient air to achieve Ga2O3. The material’s oxidation mechanism was thoroughly examined using structural, compositional, and optical approaches. X-ray diffraction analysis identified the presence of the β-Ga2O3 crystalline phase, with both in-plane and out-of-plane preferred orientations, along with crystalline inclusions attributed to GaOOH. Furthermore, energy-dispersive spectroscopy confirmed the uniform sublimation of Arsenic, as evidenced by elemental mapping, while Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy suggested the inclusion of −OH bonds. Surface analysis was carried out by field emission scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy, revealing a grain size of approximately 20 nm. Finally, UV-Vis characterization unveiled a bandgap ranging from 2.9 to 3.9 eV, indicative of the material’s potential for UV-sensitive applications. Overall, the results demonstrate the consistency and reliability of the oxidation process, providing valuable insights into the properties of the Ga2O3-GaOOH material for potential technological advancements.

Influences of Native Oxide on the Properties of Ultrathin Al2O3‐Interfaced Si/GaAs Heterojunctions

AbstractThe structure property of non‐ideal Si/GaAs heterostructures that are integrated with the ultra‐thin oxide (UO) tunneling interfacial layer is systematically investigated. Si nanomembranes (NMs) are oxidized in different time periods prior to the hetero‐integration process to create the non‐ideal single‐side passivated Si/GaAs heterostructure. The atomic‐level oxygen distribution and the degree of oxygen content in Si NM and GaAs are carefully investigated using atom probe tomography (APT) and X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) to trace changes in the chemical composition and reactional mechanism across the UO interface when the surface of Si NM is exposed to air for different periods of time. The negatively induced charges at the UO layer cause oxygen diffusion to the GaAs layer and form the unwanted GaAs oxide layer. This native oxide stack noticeably degrades the thermal properties of the Si/GaAs heterostructure as Si NMs become more oxidized. This study reveals that the poor surface passivation on one side of the heterointerface leads to a both‐side oxidation, thus severely deteriorating the transport properties across the heterojunction formed with the UO layer.

Nitrogen Plasma Etching and Surface Passivation of GaAs via Plasma-Enhanced Atomic Layer Deposition

We investigated the suitability of aluminum nitride (AlN) for surface passivation and protection of gallium arsenide (GaAs), using a low-temperature passivation method. By varying the plasma power (100, 200 W) during etching, we found that 200 W produced better passivation. Using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, we quantitatively demonstrate that etching the GaAs at 200 W almost removed the GaAs oxide layer. To further study the surface passivation of GaAs, we deposited an AlN film by plasma-enhanced atomic layer deposition using trimethylaluminum and ammonia precursors at 250 °C. AlN passivation did not effectively smooth the GaAs surface, but did increase its photoluminescence intensity. This study shows that AlN coating by plasma-enhanced atomic layer deposition is a promising low-temperature method for GaAs surface passivation.

Investigation of the process of reactive ion-beam sputtering of gallium arsenide using optical emission spectroscopy

The aim of this work was to study the process of reactive ion-beam sputtering of gallium arsenide using optical emission analysis of plasma in the target region to determine the optimal conditions for the formation of intrinsic GaAs oxides. The ion source was a plasmatron based on an anode layer accelerator (UAS), which generated a stream of accelerated argon and oxygen ions with an energy of 400–1200 eV. The target was made from tellurium doped gallium arsenide. Intense GaI lines (2874.2 Å, 2943.6 Å, 4033.0 Å and 4172.1 Å), atomic argon ArI, argon ions, and also FeI lines were detected in the spectrum upon sputtering of GaAs by Ar+ ions. The appearance of iron lines can be explained by the sputtering of the pole tips of the magnetic system of the ion source. An increase in the accelerating voltage from 1 to 3 kV leads to an increase in the intensity of the peaks of atomic gallium GaI (4172.1 Å) by 2.38 times, the GaI line (4033.0 Å) by 3.25 times, the GaI line (2943.6 Å) 3.4 times, GaI lines (2874.2 Å) 5 times. It was found that an increase in the partial pressure of oxygen leads to a sharp decrease in the peaks of GaI (4033.0 Å) and GaI (4172.1 Å) due to the chemical interaction of gallium and oxygen. Sputtering in pure oxygen reduces the intensity of these peaks by 8 and 5 times, respectively. The intensities of the peaks of atomic gallium GaI (2874.2 Å) and GaI (2943.6 Å) decreased in 2 and 1.78 times, respectively. In the presence of a positive potential on the target, the intensity of all lines of atomic gallium monotonically decreases with increasing potential. In the emission spectrum, lines of atomic oxygen OI (7774.2 Å) and molecular positive ions O+2 (6418.7 Å, 6026.4 Å, 5631.9 Å and 5295.7 Å) were detected. In the presence of a positive potential on the target, a monotonic decrease in the intensity of the above oxygen lines was observed. This indicates an intensification of chemical interaction of oxygen with target elements and, accordingly, a decrease in the free active oxygen particles.

Graphene transfer passivates GaAs

Graphene–semiconductor junction interface states influence the carrier recombination processes in emerging optoelectronic devices. The large density of interface states in the graphene–GaAs junction is partly formed by oxidation in air of the GaAs surface. A graphene transfer presented herein reduces the arsenic species in the GaAs oxide and maintains the reduction over a span of at least one year. The photoluminescence and terahertz emission spectra show reduced surface trapping of photogenerated carriers in GaAs with graphene-capped oxide. These findings demonstrate a 2D material transfer that passivates a 3D semiconductor surface. A consequence of the passivation is observed by photoreflectance modulation spectroscopy of graphene covered semi-insulating GaAs. The built-in surface field is sufficiently screened by optically pumped carriers to reveal an enhanced excitonic absorption just below the GaAs bandgap. The absorption critical point anomalously red shifts by 4–6 meV from the bulk exciton characteristic energy, an effect we attribute to the exciton absorption occurring closer to the graphene–GaAs interface and influenced by the near-surface GaAs dielectric polarization.

Resistive Switching of GaAs Oxide Nanostructures

The paper presents the results of experimental studies of the influence of the local anodic oxidation control parameters on the geometric parameters of oxide nanoscale structures (ONS) and profiled nanoscale structures (PNS) on the surface of epitaxial structures of silicon doped gallium arsenide with an impurity concentration of 5 × 1017 cm−3. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy measurements showed that GaAs oxide consists of oxide phases Ga2O3 and As2O3, and the thickness of the Ga2O3 layer is 2–3 times greater than the thickness of As2O3 area—i.e., the oxidized GaAs region consists mainly of Ga2O3. The experimental studies of the influence of ONS thickness on the resistive switching effect were obtained. An increase in the ONS thickness from 0.8 ± 0.3 to 7.6 ± 0.6 nm leads to an increase in the switching voltage Uset from 2.8 ± 0.3 to 6.8 ± 0.9 V. The results can be used in the development of technological processes for the manufacturing of nano-electronic elements, such as ReRAM, as well as a high-efficiency quantum dot laser.

Воздействие некоторых сложных хемостимуляторов и модификаторов на термооксидирование InP

Воздействие некоторых сложных хемостимуляторов и модификаторов на термооксидирование InP

Initial oxidation of GaAs(100) under near-realistic environments revealed by in situ AP-XPS

In situ monitoring of initial oxidation of GaAs surfaces was performed under (near-) realistic oxidizing environments, using ambient-pressure X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (AP-XPS). The surface chemical states drastically change with time. The oxidation process at the sub-nano-meter-scale exhibits a significantly small activation energy, which can be regarded as a quasi-barrier-less oxidation.

Formation of a Au/Au9Ga4 Alloy Nanoshell on a Bacterial Surface through Galvanic Displacement Reaction for High-Contrast Imaging.

The spontaneous electron transfer between GaAs and ionic gold through the galvanic displacement reaction results in the formation of gold nanoparticles and a Au9Ga4 alloy. We investigated this process for decorating Legionella pneumophila and Escherichia coli, aiming at enhanced imaging of these bacteria. The surface of bacteria was modified with gold ions through the electrostatic linkage of ionic liquids with phosphate units of the bacterial cell wall. The modified bacteria were further incubated with an antibody-functionalized GaAs substrate. Due to a large gap in the reduction potential of gold and gallium ions, the induced reaction involving bacteria resulted in a reduction of the gold ions to gold nanoparticles and oxidation of GaAs to Ga2O3 and a Au9Ga4 alloy. The bacteria covered with a Au/AuGa nanoshell, if excited at 377 nm, show a bright emission at 447 nm originating from Au/Au9Ga4. This approach offers a simple and potentially less expensive method for high-contrast imaging of bacteria in comparison to the conventional methods of staining with different dyes or by conjugating green fluorescent proteins.

Study of GaAs oxidation in the low-current Townsend discharge

An anodic oxidation of GaAs substrates in a non-self-sustained low-current dc Townsend discharge is investigated. The process is carried out at the room temperature in a three-electrode microreactor filled by 98%Ar + 2%O2 gas mixture. Investigation of the oxidation kinetics indicates that the formed oxide is characterized by a high resistivity, ρ ∼ 1011 Ω·cm. It is demonstrated the application of the method for formation of oxide films with dimensions of tens of microns, which thickness is on the nanometer scale. Examination of the “GaAs substrate - oxide layer” interface using the high resolution transmission electron microscopy has revealed that the oxide is characterized by the amorphous structure.

Room temperature oxidation of GaAs(110) using high translational kinetic energy molecular beams of O2 visualized by STM

This study examines the reactive surface dynamics of GaAs(110) oxidation with molecular oxygen at room temperature over a range of impinging kinetic energies. Visualization of the surface by scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) after exposures to O2 with kinetic energies of 0.4–1.2 eV provides morphological and kinetic data that were obtained utilizing a novel instrument that combines a supersonic molecular beam with an in-line, in-situ STM. Oxidation was found to proceed by two morphologically distinct, competing mechanisms: a spatially homogeneous process with randomly distributed chemisorbed oxygen atoms leading to layer-by-layer oxide growth, and a spatially heterogeneous process with oxides nucleating on structural surface defects and growing vertically and laterally with continued exposure. Both oxidation mechanisms exhibit enhanced reactivity with increasing kinetic energy. Only trace oxidation was observed with O2 kinetic energies below 0.7 eV; a rapid increase in the rate of oxidation from 1.0 to 1.2 eV was found with homogeneous and heterogeneous oxidation proceeding simultaneously until full surface coverage was reached. In addition, the relative rates of the two mechanisms appear to change with O2 kinetic energy: spatially homogeneous oxidation is expected to dominate at lower kinetic energies (<0.7 eV) while the heterogenous growth of oxide islands increasingly dominates with higher kinetic energies (≥1.0 eV). The results obtained in this study conclusively demonstrate that a heterogenous oxidation mechanism is activated on GaAs(110) at high O2 kinetic energies, and reveal that thin oxide layers can be achieved with higher efficiency at room temperature using molecular beams of oxygen. These results provide vital information about the morphological evolution of the surface in conjunction with the overall kinetics, and identify a controlled method of enhanced oxidation at moderate temperatures that could potentially improve abruptness at oxide interfaces and be used in the fabrication of GaAs semiconductor devices.

Anodic Imprint Lithography: Direct Imprinting of Single Crystalline GaAs with Anodic Stamp.

Anodic imprint lithography patterns the GaAs substrate electrochemically by applying a voltage through a predefined anodic stamp. This newly devised technique performs anodic etching in a stamping manner. Stamps that serve as anodic electrodes are fabricated precisely, and the patterns can be imprinted continuously on GaAs substrates. The anodic current locally oxidizes the GaAs through the metal attached to the stamp, and the GaAs oxides are subsequently removed by an acid in the solution. The process is simplified because the metal catalyst is not left on the substrate and the use of an oxidizing agent is not required. Anodic imprint lithography integrates the lithography and etching steps without the use of a polymer resist. Predefined anodic stamps with fin, pillar, and mesh arrays clearly imprinted trenches, holes, and embossed disk arrays on the GaAs substrates, respectively. Anodic imprints replace photons and electrons in conventional lithography with electrochemical stamping, which can simplify existing techniques that are highly complex for extreme nanopatterning.

Investigation of the Current–Voltage Characteristics of New MnO2/GaAs(100) and V2O5/GaAs(100) Heterostructures Subjected to Heat Treatment

Complex oxide films with a thickness of about 200 nm are formed during the thermal oxidation of GaAs with magnetron-deposited V2O5 and MnO2 nanolayers. The electrical parameters of the films (reverse-bias breakdown voltage and current density) are determined by the method of current–voltage (I–V) characteristics at room temperature in the bias range from –5 to +5 V, and their composition and surface morphology are investigated. It is shown that V2O5 facilitates the more intense (in comparison with MnO2) chemical bonding of arsenic at the internal interface with the formation of As2O5. As a result, thermally oxidized V2O5/GaAs heterostructures exhibit higher breakdown voltages.

Understanding gaas Native Oxides By Correlating Three Liquid Contact Angle Analysis (3LCAA) and High Resolution Ion Beam Analysis (HR-IBA) to X-Ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) as Function of Surface Processing

ABSTRACTChemical bonding in native oxides of GaAs, before and after etching, is detected by X-Ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS). It is correlated with surface energy engineering (SEE), measured via Three Liquid Contact Angle Analysis (3LCAA), and oxygen coverage, measured by High Resolution Ion Beam Analysis (HR-IBA).Before etching, GaAs native oxides are found to be hydrophobic with an average surface energy, γT, of 33 ± 1 mJ/m2, as measured by 3LCAA. After dilute NH4OH etching, GaAs becomes highly hydrophilic and its surface energy, γT, increases by a factor 2 to a reproducible value of 66 ± 1 mJ/m2. Using HR-IBA, oxygen coverage on GaAs is found to decrease from 7.2 ± 0.5 monolayers (ML) to 3.6 ± 0.5 ML. The 1.17 ratio of Ga to As, measured by HR-IBA, remains constant after etching.XPS is used to measure oxidation of Ga and As, as well as surface stoichiometry on two locations of several GaAs(100) wafers before and after etching. The relative proportions of Ga and As are unaffected by adventitious carbon contamination. The 1.16 Ga:As ratio, measured by XPS, matches HR-IBA analysis. The proportions of oxidized Ga and As do not change significantly after etching. However, the initial ratio of As2O5 to As2O3, within the oxidized As, significantly decreases after etching from approximately 3:1 to 3:2.Absolute oxygen coverage, as a function of surface processing, is determined within 0.5 ML by HR-IBA. XPS offers insight into these modifications by detecting electronic states and phase composition changes of GaAs oxides. The changes in surface chemistry are correlated to changes in hydro-affinity and surface energies measured by 3LCAA.

Au-catalyzed desorption of GaAs oxides

Thermal desorption of native oxides on GaAs(100), (110) and (111)B surfaces around Au particles are studied in vacuum using in situ microspectroscopy. Two temperature-dependent desorption regimes, common to all surfaces, are identified. The low-temperature desorption regime spatially limited to the vicinity of some Au nanoparticles (NPs) is catalytically enhanced, resulting in oxide pinholes which expand laterally into macro holes many times the size of the catalyzing NPs and with shapes dictated by the underlying crystallography. The high-temperature desorption regime causes homogeneous oxides thinning and, ultimately, complete oxide desorption. The temperature difference between the two regimes is ∼25 °C–60 °C. After oxide desorption and depending on Au size and GaAs surface orientation, Au particles may dissolve the fresh GaAs surface and form mobile AuGa2/Ga core/shell units, or form stationary AuGa2 crystallites, or the catalyzing Au particles may run with minimal reaction with the GaAs surface. These results will add to the fundamental understanding of many Au-based nanofabrication processes, particularly the epitaxial growth of vertical and lateral nanowires.

Stability enhancement of GaInP/GaAs/Ge triple-junction solar cells using Al2O3 moisture-barrier layer

A method to enhance the operational stability of GaInP/GaAs/Ge triple-junction (III-V) solar cells is proposed. To accomplish this, plasma-enhanced atomic layer deposition (PEALD) was employed, thereby forming a thin Al2O3 film as a moisture barrier layer. As observed, creation of a 50 nm Al2O3 layer demonstrated a water-vapor transmission rate (WVTR) of nearly 1.71 × 10−2 g/m2-day at 45 °C and 100% RH. Subsequent to Al2O3 deposition, solar cells were laminated with ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA) and ethylene chloro-trifluoroethylene (ECTFE) films and exposed to conditions of 85 °C and 85% RH for 1000 h. As observed, when encapsulated within the 50 nm thin Al2O3 film, the III-V solar cells demonstrated greater stability over the said 1000 h period. On the other hand, III-V solar cells not encapsulated within the said Al2O3 films demonstrated an approximately 25% reduction in maximum power. Analysis results reveal that the observed degradation in III-V solar cell performance under high humidity conditions can be attributed to the oxidation of GaAs, which causes damage of the middle junction, and hence, drop in shunt resistance (RSH). Overall, III-V solar cells encapsulated within 50 nm Al2O3 demonstrated less than 1% drop in the power-conversion efficiency after 1000 h.

Исследование вольт-амперных характеристик новых гетероструктур MnO-=SUB=-2-=/SUB=-/GaAs(100) и V-=SUB=-2-=/SUB=-O-=SUB=-5-=/SUB=-/GaAs(100), прошедших термическую обработку

AbstractComplex oxide films with a thickness of about 200 nm are formed during the thermal oxidation of GaAs with magnetron-deposited V_2O_5 and MnO_2 nanolayers. The electrical parameters of the films (reverse-bias breakdown voltage and current density) are determined by the method of current–voltage ( I – V ) characteristics at room temperature in the bias range from –5 to +5 V, and their composition and surface morphology are investigated. It is shown that V_2O_5 facilitates the more intense (in comparison with MnO_2) chemical bonding of arsenic at the internal interface with the formation of As_2O_5. As a result, thermally oxidized V_2O_5/GaAs heterostructures exhibit higher breakdown voltages.

MBE formation of self-catalyzed GaAs nanowires using ZnO nanosized films

We studied the influence of nanoscale ZnO films deposited onto GaAs (001) on the process of GaAs epitaxial growth. We took into consideration the most important control parameters of molecular beam epitaxy, such as substrate temperature, As4/Ga effective flux ratio and growth rate and different thicknesses of ZnO films. We found that a ZnO film deposited on GaAs surface acts as a native GaAs oxide when the thickness of the film is being decreased, and can be removed thermally at a temperature of 620-630°C. We showed that it is possible to use nanoscale ZnO films with thickness ∼5 nm in order to create horizontal GaAs nanowires grown by a self-catalytic mechanism.

Reprint of “Modification of the GaAs native oxide surface layer into the layer of the Ga2O3 dielectric by an Ar+ ion beam”

Poor dielectric properties of GaAs oxides are the drawback of the GaAs-based electronics preventing using these oxides as dielectric layers. The elemental and chemical compositions of the GaAs native oxide layer slightly irradiated by Ar+ ions with the fluence Q ~1 ∗ 1014 ions/cm2 have been studied by the synchrotron-based photoelectron spectroscopy. The effect of selective and total decay of arsenic oxides followed by diffusive escape of arsenic atoms from the oxide layer has been revealed. The effect results in three-fold Ga enrichment of the upper layer of the native oxide and in strong domination (~90 at%) of the Ga2O3 phase which is known to be a quite good dielectric with the bandgap width as wide as 4.8 eV. A band diagram was obtained for the native oxide nanolayer on the n-GaAs wafer. It has been shown that this natural nanostructure has a character of a p-n heterojunction.