HREELS of H/GaN(0001): evidence for Ga termination

Two issues relevant to the growth and processing of GaN are the termination of the GaN(0001) surface and its reaction with hydrogen. We have used high-resolution electron energy loss spectroscopy (HREELS), low-energy electron diffraction (LEED), and Auger electron spectroscopy (AES) to study the adsorption of hydrogen on MOCVD-grown GaN(0001). LEED of the sputtered and annealed surface shows evidence of facetting. No adsorbate vibrations are observed on the clean surface by HREELS, only Fuchs–Kliewer phonons at intervals of 700 cm⁻¹. Following exposure of the clean GaN surface to hydrogen atoms, HREEL spectra show adsorbate loss peaks at 2580, 3280, and 3980 cm⁻¹. The Ga–H stretching vibration at 1880 cm⁻¹ becomes evident when the HREEL spectrum is deconvoluted to remove the phonon multiple-loss peaks. We assign the 2580, 3280, and 3980 cm⁻¹ peaks to combination modes of the Ga–H stretch and phonon(s). Upon dosing with deuterium, the Ga–D bending mode is observed at 400 cm⁻¹. No vibrational peaks due to N–H (N–D) species are observed after H (D) exposure. We conclude that sputtered and annealed GaN(0001) is Ga-terminated.