XPS measurements of air-exposed Cd(Zn)1xFexTe1ySey surfaces revisited

Recently introduced model for quantitative analysis of in-depth non-uniform surfaces is applied to reexamine the X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) data of Cd0.99Fe0.01Te0.97Se0.03 and Zn0.98Fe0.02Te0.91Se0.09 crystalline samples. Special attention is paid to the precise identification of phases which form the bulk-like near-surface region and the surface overlayers (the oxide layer and the layer of organic impurities), as well as the influence of surface morphology on the measurements. The obtained results fully support earlier qualitative estimations, but also provide new quantitative insight into the composition of the three investigated regions. The near-surface region of Cd0.99Fe0.01Te0.97Se0.03 and Zn0.98Fe0.02Te0.91Se0.09 samples is slightly electropositive, with cation/anion ratio 52:48 and 53:47, respectively. Model surface structures, which are fully compatible with the experimental results, comprise 0.76 nm thick CdTeO3 layer at the surface of Cd0.99Fe0.01Te0.97Se0.03 and 0.33 nm thick mixed ZnO/TeO2 oxide layer on Zn0.98Fe0.02Te0.91Se0.09. In both samples the oxide layer is only a few atomic layers thick, implying that it suppresses further rapid migration of oxygen into the bulk.