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The electronic changes occurring at the surface of a nano-crystalline SnO 2 sensor upon exposure to O 2 and CH 4 at elevated temperature have been investigated by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Gas exposures and subsequent XPS scanning were conducted at 120 and 250 °C to simulate the working conditions of the sensor. Exposure to O 2 at 120 °C resulted in a 0.2 eV upward band bending while subsequent exposure to CH 4 resulted in a 0.1 eV downward band bending, as expected from oxidising and reducing gases, respectively. Similar changes in surface band bending were observed at 250 °C, although quantitative analysis suggests that oxygen absorption might be enhanced. The results clearly indicate the electronic nature of the gas sensing mechanism when exposed to O 2 and CH 4 and the very high sensitivity of the sensor.

Soft X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (SXPS) was performed on Si/Ge(111)-c(2 × 8) heterojunctions. The effect of an ordered ultrathin (one monolayer) ionic dipole layer of ZnSe placed at the interface was studied. The formation of the interface was monitored via the evolution of the valence band edges and the movements of core levels. It was found that the ZnSe intralayer dramatically modified the valence band offset of the Si/Ge (111) junction. The valence band offset was increased by 0.57 ± 0.1 eV due to the presence of the ZnSe intralayer. This intralayer-induced modification of the valence band offset is interpreted in terms of the charge transfer at the interface.

We have examined the physical and chemical reactions occurring during the formation of intimate In– and Au–InAlAs(100) at room temperature. In deposition results in a two-dimensional mode of growth, followed by clustering. Au deposition however, perturbs the interface with As diffusing into the Au overlayer. A Fermi shift is evident following the deposition of In and Au, but in both cases this is lower than barrier heights measured by transport techniques. Possible mechanisms for the observed adaptation of pinning position are discussed in the light of current models of Schottky barrier formation.

The passivation properties of the Si GaAs(110) interface have been studied using scanning tunnelling microscopy/spectroscopy (STM/STS) and soft X-ray photoemission spectroscopy (SXPS). Silicon has been deposited at room temperature and STM images show the sub-monolayer growth of silicon islands on the GaAs substrate. The electrical properties of these islands together with the clean surface have been investigated using scanning tunnelling spectroscopy (STS). The spectroscopy clearly illustrates the difference in electrical properties between atomically flat regions of GaAs as compared to those containing defects or steps, i.e. where surface band bending occurs. We have investigated the use of sub-monolayer Si coverages to modify the electronic structure of the surface. Height variations of 3–4Aacross Si islands and 2Aacross steps on the GaAs surface have also been observed using the STM. STS spectra, collected simultaneously with the STM image, showed the Si to have semiconducting properties differing from that of crystalline Si and the GaAs substrate. Comparisons between the STM and STS results together with SXPS have provided a correlation between the structural, electrical and chemical nature of the Si/GaAs(110) interface.

Previous current–voltage studies of In contacts deposited on atomically clean (intimate) In53Ga47As(100) have indicated the potential to “select” barrier heights in this materials system by cryogenic processing. Soft x-ray photoemission spectroscopy was used to determine the electronic and chemical nature of these interfaces, as a function of formation temperature. Metallization at room temperature results in a predominantly three-dimensional mode of growth, accompanied by the outdiffusion of As. Low temperature metallization appears to reduce clustering and inhibit As outdiffusion. It is proposed that the distribution of surface states and the fermi level pinning position are altered by the changes that occur in the geometry and bonding of the interface at low temperature.

One challenge in the processing of In 53 Ga 47 As/InP(100) heterostructures is the enhancement of the low Schottky barrier heights (Φ b ) typically exhibited by metal-nIn 53 Ga 47 As(100) contacts. Previous studies of the metallisation of chemically etched In 53 Ga 47 As surfaces have reported increases in Φ b if metallisation is performed at 77 K. This study extends this concept to probe the idealised case of the formation of metal contacts (Au-, Cu- and In-) to atomically clean nIn 53 Ga 47 As/InP(/I) at 80 K and room temperature (294 K). The in-situ current-voltage measurements of intimate Au and Cu contacts formed at both temperatures exhibited ohmic characteristics. However, intimate In contacts formed at 80 and 294 K showed diodic behaviour (Φ b 0.45 and 0.30 eV, respectively), with an improvement in the rectification when formed at 80 K. Conversely, In contacts to etched surfaces were ohmic. It is proposed that this behaviour is linked to the alteration of the structure and nature of the interface as a result of the various fabrication techniques. These results indicate the potential to select Φ b on In 53 Ga 47 As via a combination of cryogenic processing and surface preparation.

The electrical and chemical properties of the interfaces formed at room temprature, between the surface of epitaxial n‐type InyAl1−yAs(100) and a selection of metals have been studied. Highly ideal Au, Ag, Cu, and In diodes exhibiting the highest reported barriers (0.78–0.91 eV), measured by the current‐voltage (I‐V) technique, have been obtained by forming intimate contacts on atomically clean, lattice matched, molecular beam epitaxy grown InyAl1−yAs/InP(100). The formation of Au‐ and In‐InyAl1−yAs interfaces has been investigated using x‐ray photoemission spectroscopy, showing that in both cases the Fermi level is pinned at the surface prior to metal deposition. The deposition of both In and Au overlayers initiated the selective removal of As from the interface to segregate on the metal surface; however the presence of these metals on the semiconductor surface produced no further Fermi shift. These observations, in conjunction with the barrier heights measured by the I‐V technique, are discussed in the ...

Energies and yields of K-series X-rays from pp atoms have been measured with two gas scintillation proportional detectors at target gas densities of 0.25 and 0.92 ρ STP . Values for the strong interaction shift and width of the 1s state obtained from the X-ray spectra are compared with the predictions of a variety of theoretical models. Upper limits for the yield of K-series X-rays from pd atoms have also been obtained.

The yields of K and L series X-rays from pp atoms and of the L series X-rays from pd atoms have been measured at gas densities of 0.25, 0.92, 2.0 and 10.0ρ STP . For pp atoms the strong interaction shift and width for the 1s state and the width of the 2p state have been measured. The results are in good agreement with the predictions of potential models.

The electrical, chemical and structural properties of the interfaces formed at room and low temperatures, between In and atomically clean In 53 Ga 47 As/InP(100) have been studied. Current-voltage measurements indicate that diodes formed at 80 K exhibit significantly higher Schottky barriers (φ b = 0.45 eV) than diodes formed at 294 K (φ b = 0.30 eV). The reactions occurring during the formation of In In 53 Ga 47 As/InP(100) interfaces at room and low temperatures have been investigated using Soft X-Ray photoemission spectroscopy. Our results show that metallisation at room temperature results in a predominantly three dimensional mode of growth, accompanied by the out-diffusion of As. Low temperature (125 K) metallisation appears to reduce clustering and inhibit As out-diffusion. Examination of the resulting interfaces by transmission electron microscopy confirms the more uniform nature of the metal layers formed at low temperature. These observations, in conjunction with the barrier heights measured by the I-V technique, are discussed in the context of currently supported models of Schottky barrier formation.