Line shape and composition of the In 3d5/2 core-level photoemission for the interface analysis of In-containing III–V semiconductors

• Published in: Applied surface science Vol. 329; pp. 371 - 375
• Main Authors: Mäkelä, J., Tuominen, M., Kuzmin, M., Yasir, M., Lång, J., Punkkinen, M.P.J., Laukkanen, P., Kokko, K., Schulte, K., Osiecki, J., Wallace, R.M.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier B.V 01-02-2015
• Subjects: Asymmetry; Devices; III–V semiconductor; Indium antimonides; Indium arsenides; Interface analysis; Interfacial analysis; Line shape; Photoelectron spectroscopy; Photoemission; Semiconductors; Line shape; Interfacial analysis; Photoelectron spectroscopy; III–V semiconductor
• ISSN: 0169-4332; 1873-5584
• DOI: 10.1016/j.apsusc.2014.12.155

•Photoelectron study of the controversial In 3d line shape of III–V semiconductors.•The spectral envelope is found to be fit well by a combination of symmetric peaks.•The energy band gap has no effect on the spectral features of In 3d peak.•In 3d emissions are described well with reconstruction-induced core-level shifts.•The results are important to photoelectron studies of the III–V device materials.
The In 3d5/2 photoelectron spectroscopy peak has been widely used to determine the interface structures of In-containing III–V device materials (e.g., oxidation states). However, an unclear parameter affecting the determination of the energy shifts and number of the core-level components, and therefore, the interpreted interface structure and composition, is still the intrinsic In 3d5/2 peak line shape. It is undecided whether the line shape is naturally symmetric or asymmetric for pure In-containing III–V compounds. By using high-resolution photoelectron spectroscopy, we show that the In 3d5/2 asymmetry arising from the emission at high binding-energy tail is not an intrinsic property of InAs, InP, InSb and InGaAs. Furthermore, it is shown that asymmetry of In 3d5/2 peaks of pure III–V's originates from the natural surface reconstructions which cause the coexistence of slightly shifted In 3d5/2 components with the symmetric peak shape and dominant Lorentzian broadening.