Surface Studies of III-V Materials: Oxidation Control and Device Implications

Abstract

Despite the long history of research on III-V semiconductor materials, the determination and control of the individual oxidation states of these substrates is still poorly understood. In this study, multiple surface treatments have been employed to determine the presence and concentration of the individual oxidation states of both As and Ga. The removal of these surface oxides is demonstrated through particular techniques. It is established that not all of these oxidation states are of poor electrical quality, while eliminating the presence of certain oxidation states results in a marked improvement in MOS device performance.