Photoemission study of the interaction of Al with a GaAs (110) surface

A room-temperature reaction between Al adsorbate atoms and a GaAs (110) surface is observed by means of soft X-ray photoemission techniques. Evidence of two states of Al which are distinct from the bulk Al metal is seen at submonolayer coverages. The sequential appearance of these states suggest that both Al chemisorbed on the surface and Al replacing Ga in the surface lattice are present. The possible influence of surface lattice reconstruction and Al proximity effects on the replacement reaction is discussed. The replacement reaction is important in the context of metal contacts to GaAs (both ohmic and Schottky barriers) as well as for GaAs—AlGaAs heterojunctions.