Stoichiometry, contamination and microstructure of MnSb(0 0 0 1) surfaces

The stoichiometry, microstructure and surface composition of MnSb have been investigated using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, electron diffraction and microscopy. Epitaxially grown samples were exposed to ambient air for several weeks and methods for preparing clean, stoichiometric and smooth surfaces were investigated. Air-stored sample surfaces are chemically stratified but dominated by Mn oxides 4–5 nm thick. These oxides are difficult to remove by ion bombardment and annealing (IBA), but a brief etch in HCl removes them very efficiently. It leaves the surface Sb-rich, and clean, smooth and stoichiometric surfaces are then readily recovered by IBA. These surfaces exhibit a (2 × 2) surface reconstruction with atomically flat terraces. This reconstruction can be reversibly changed to a (1 × 1) by Sb deposition and annealing.