Ion bombardment induced compositional changes in compound semiconductor surfaces studied by XPS combined with LEISS

Surface compositional change of GaP, GaAs, GaSb, InP, InAs, InSb, GeSi and CdSe single crystals due to low keV noble gas ion beam bombardment has been investigated by combining X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) and Low Energy Ion Scattering Spectroscopy (LEISS). The purpose of using this complementary analytical method is to obtain more complete experimental evidence of ion beam modification in surfaces of compound semiconductors and GeSi alloy to improve the understanding of the mechanisms responsible for these effects. Before ion bombardment the sample surfaces were analysed nondestructively by Angular Resolved XPS (ARXPS) and LEISS to get the initial distribution of surface composition. Ion bombardment experiments were carried out using 3keV argon ions with beam current of 1μA for a period of 50 minutes, compositional changes in the surfaces of compound semiconductors and GeSi alloy were monitored with normal XPS. After ion bombardment the surfaces were re-examined with ARXPS and LEISS. Both XPS and LEISS results showed clearly that ion bombardment will change the compositional distribution in the compound semiconductor and GeSi surfaces. In order to explain the observed experimental results, two major theories in this field, Sigmund linear collision cascade theory and the thermodynamic models based on bombardment induced Gibbsian surface segregation and diffusion, were investigated. Computer simulation using TRIM code was also carried out for assistance to the theoretical analysis. Combined the results obtained from XPS and LEISS analyses, ion bombardment induced compositional changes in compound semiconductor and GeSi surfaces are explained in terms of the bombardment induced Gibbsian surface segregation and diffusion.