Chemical Cleaning of GaSb (1,0,0) Surfaces

Abstract

(1,0,0) surfaces have been cleaned by chemical passivation and later heat‐treatment in ultrahigh vacuum conditions. Four different etching solutions consisting of an oxidant and an acid for oxide dissolution have been studied. With the the surfaces become very rough, unevenly covered with oxides, and not suitable for later epitaxial growth. The remaining three etchants studied, , , and Br:methanol, leave rather smooth surfaces covered with a thin passivating layer, probably consisting of pure Sb, , and , which can be easily removed by heating the samples in ultrahigh vacuum at temperatures between 480° and 510°C.