Influence of Nanoscale Layers of the Mn3(P0.1V0.9O4)2 Chemostimulator-Modifi er on the Process of Thermal Oxidation of GaAs, its Composition, and Morphology of the Resulting Films

Abstract

Chemostimulated thermal oxidation is one of the approaches to the formation of functional nanoscale fi lms on an AIIIBV surface. In order to obtain the desired result, it is necessary to reasonably choose an object that can act as a chemostimulator of the process or a modifi er of the structure and properties of films formed as a result of oxidation. The use of complex compounds capable of combining both of these functions seems to be effective. The purpose of the study was an investigation into the effect of nanoscale layers of the Mn3(P0.1V0.9O4)2 chemostimulator-modifi er on the process of thermal oxidation of GaAs, its composition, and morphology of the formed fi lms. The object of study was gallium arsenide (100) with nanosized layers of manganese vanadate-phosphate Mn3(P0.1V0.9O4)2 deposited on its surface. In order to increase the speed of the process and ensure the high chemical homogeneity of the product, it was proposed to use microwave activation of the synthesis of the chemostimulator-modifi er Mn3(P0.1V0.9O4)2 and its further deposition onto the surface of the semiconductor by the spin-coating method. The formed Mn3(P0.1V0.9O4)2/GaAs heterostructures were thermally oxidized in the temperature range 490–550 °C for 60 min in an oxygen stream. The thickness of the growing fi lms (by laser and spectral ellipsometry), their composition (X-ray phase analysis, Auger electron spectroscopy), and surface morphology (atomic force microscopy) were controlled. Studies of the kinetics of thermal oxidation of Mn3(P0.1V0.9O4)2/ GaAs heterostructures showed that the determining process is the solid-phase reaction, limited by diffusion in the solid phase, and the transit character of the chemostimulator without the catalytic effect occurs. It was revealed that manganese vanadate-phosphate promoted an increase in the growth of the formed fi lm by an average of 70–220% compared to the standard oxidation of GaAs, leads to the intensifi cation of secondary interactions of the oxides of the substrate components with the products of thermolysis of Mn3(P0.1V0.9O4)2 and the absence of segregation of arsenic in the fi lm in a non-oxidized state. Thermal oxidation of Mn3(P0.1V0.9O4)2/GaAs heterostructures results in the formation of nanoscale (50-200 nm) fi lms with a fairly pronounced relief. Further study of the electrophysical characteristics of the fi lms is necessary, since composition data suggest they possess a dielectric nature. This can be used in practice for the formation of fi lms on the surface of AIIIBV with functional purposes and with widely varying characteristics.

Keywords

• gallium arsenide
• manganese vanadate-phosphate
• nanoscale fi lms
• chemostimulated oxidation
• microwave synthesis.