Surface decomposition of triethylindium on InSb(1 0 0)

The surface reactions of triethylindium on InSb(1 0 0)-c(8×2) were studied using temperature programmed desorption (TPD) and static secondary ion mass spectroscopy. Adsorbed diethylindium, monoethylindium and ethyl were the main surface products after triethylindium chemisorbed at 350 K. Diethylindium desorbs from the surface at temperatures below 450 K. Ethyl groups undergo hydride elimination to ethylene and homolysis to ethyl radicals at two temperatures during TPD, 450 and 480 K. The 450 K desorption feature is associated with adsorbed monoethylindium. Adsorbed ethyl ligands, formed during dissociative adsorption, migrate to lattice In atoms and desorb at 480 K through homolysis and β-hydride elimination at these lattice sites.