Adsorption kinetics of the Cs–O activation layer on GaAs(1 0 0)

In this work, we study the adsorption of (molecular) oxygen on Cs-covered GaAs(1 0 0) surfaces at RT. The study took place in a multi-method UHV system using the techniques such as low energy electron diffraction (LEED), Auger electron spectroscopy (AES), work function measurements (WF), thermal desorption spectroscopy (TDS), secondary ion mass spectroscopy (SIMS) and electron stimulated desorption (ESD) spectroscopy in correlation with the photocurrent measurements. It is shown that the oxygen burrows under the Cs overlayer and interacts at low exposures with the GaAs substrate, whereas at higher exposures oxygen interacts also with Cs leading to Cs oxides. The maximum photocurrent appears after the WF minimum and before the oxidation of Cs. Our results support the dipolar model for the explanation of the negative electron affinity effect.