Treatment for GaSb surfaces using a sulphur blended (NH4)2S/(NH4)2SO4 solution

Abstract A sulphur based chemical, [(NH4)2S/(NH4)2SO4] to which S has been added, not previously reported for the treatment of (1 0 0) n-GaSb surfaces, is introduced and benchmarked against the commonly used passivants Na2S·9H2O and (NH4)2S. The surfaces of the treated material were studied by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Auger electron spectroscopy (AES) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). It has been found that the native oxides present on the GaSb surface are more effectively removed when treated with ([(NH4)2S/(NH4)2SO4] + S) than with (NH4)2S or Na2S·9H2O, as evidenced by the ratio of the O506 eV to Sb457 eV AES peaks. XPS results reveal that Sb2S3/Sb2S5 “replaces” Sb2O3/Sb2O5, suggesting that sulphur atoms substitute oxygen atoms in Sb2O3/Sb2O5 to form Sb S. It seems sulphurization only partially removes Ga2O3. Treatment with ([(NH4)2S/(NH4)2SO4] + S) also results in a noteworthy improvement in the current–voltage (I–V) characteristics of Au/n-GaSb Schottky contacts compared to those fabricated on as-received material.