Interaction kinetics of As4 and Ga on {100} GaAs surfaces using a modulated molecular beam technique

A modulated molecular beam technique, using mass spectrometric detection of desorbed species, had been applied to a study of the kinetics of Ga and As₄ interactions on {100} GaAs surfaces. Time domain mass spectrometer signals were processed using fourier transform techniques to provide information on surface lifetimes, sticking coefficients, desorption energies and reaction orders. In the temperature range 300–450 K As₄ is nondissociatively chemisorbed on Ga atoms from a weakly bound precursor state, but above 450 K there is a pairwise dissociation-recombination reaction between As₄ molecules adsorbed on adjacent Ga lattice sites. At temperatures higher than 600 K a temperature dependent Ga adatom population is formed by the desorption of As₂ from the surface. Thus above 450 K it is possible to produce GaAs from beams of the elements, but below this temperature the compound does not form.