Investigation of the morphology of the van der Waals surface of the InSe single crystal

The morphology of the (0001) van der Waals surfaces of the layered single crystal In_1.03Se_0.97, which were prepared using different techniques, has been investigated by scanning probe microscopy methods. It has been assumed that the van der Waals surface prepared with the use of an adhesive tape oxidizes in air due to the chemisorption of acid agents on dangling bonds of the metal and selenium. An analysis of the current-voltage characteristics of the tunneling current has shown that the composition of natural oxides represents a mixture of phases of the In₂O₃ oxide and wide-band-gap selenium oxides. In the InSe surface prepared by cleavage with subsequent exposure in air for approximately 2 min, the scanning with a tunneling microscope has revealed a surface ordering in the form of a corrugation of a complex profile with a fine structure. The last fact reflects the charge density redistribution after the chemisorption of gas molecules from air on this surface and its relaxation to the state with a minimum energy. Atoms of the basal plane are observed on the InSe(0001) van der Waals surface prepared by cleavage in an oxygen-free medium. The surface corrugation is absent. Point defects cause a disturbance of the periodic potential of the single crystal, which extends over a distance equal to four lattice spacings and appears as a shadowing. A technique has been proposed for producing In₂O₃ oxide nanostructures on the surface of the single crystal of the layered semiconductor InSe with the use of an atomic-force microscope probe as a nanoindenter. The ability of the probe to operate in gaseous and liquid media significantly extends the capabilities of the method.