A study of InP(100) surface passivation by antimony deposition

InP(100) is a promising substrate for microelectronic and optoelectronic devices due to its high mobility. Sb atomic condensation induces the formation of some InSb overlayers that produce passivation of the surface. First steps of the mechanism have been studied at atomic scale using synchrotron radiation. The process of InSb formation is due to a 3D-2D phase transformation. In this work we also point out the effect of the sample heating. Results are in good agreement with previous ones obtained by Auger electron spectroscopy (AES) and electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS). We have obtained a good stabilization of the surface with respect to any prolonged heating up to 450 °C. The size of the In or Sb clusters decreases with temperature: the InSb monolayer becomes almost stoichiometric at 450 °C. The substrate has also a good quality for an optimum behavior of electronic components (L. Bideux, B. Gruzza, A. Porte and H. Robert, Surf. Interface Anal., 20 (1993) 803–807).