Observation of interface plasmon excitation in photoemission spectroscopy from the heterostructures Cu/RbF/GaAs(100) and Cu/RbF/Ge(100)

Synchrotron radiation photoelectron spectra taken at 100 eV photon energy have been measured to characterize the interface reactions of the metal-insulator-semiconductor systems Cu/RbF/GaAs(100) and Cu/RbF/Ge(100). In comparision, similar sequences are studied on the Cu/GaAs(100) and Cu/Ge(100) interfaces without the RbF interlayer. After Cu-deposition of 1–4 Å on RbF-covered (10–14 Å) GaAs and Ge surfaces, shoulder peaks appear on both the Ga 3d and Ge 3d core levels. The shoulder peaks are shifted 1.1 and 1.4 eV to higher binding energy for the Ga 3d and Ge 3d levels, respectively. The Rb 4p and F 2p peak positions are slightly shifted between 0.25 and 0.5 eV. The broad second Ga 3d and Ge 3d peaks can be correlated to plasmon loss of electrons from these levels in a two-dimensional Rb metal-like layer formed at the Cu/RbF interface. The excitation energy of a Rb surface plasmon in a Cu-Rb-RbF system is calculated to be 1.3 eV.