Atomic hydrogen cleaning, nitriding and annealing InSb 100/

Hydrogen cleaning and nitridation of InSb 100.using radio frequency r.f..-generated radicals was investigated using reflection high energy electron diffraction RHEED., X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy XPS.and atomic force microscopy AFM.. Hydrogen cleaning was found to remove antimony oxide and carbon contamination even at room temperature RT. by creating volatile species but did not remove the indium oxide. Hydrogen cleaning at 2758C gave a clean, flat surface which showed a 4=2.In-rich reconstruction, while hydrogen cleaning at temperatures above the maximum congruent temperature of ;3258C resulted in a surface with a step-terrace structure accompanied by large islands and deep pits. By annealing to 3758C a surface cleaned at 2758C, a surface with a step-terrace structure but no pit or island defects could be obtained. Similar behaviour was observed for nitrided rather than oxidised surfaces. q2000 Published by Elsevier Science B.V.