Self-limiting deposition of Ga on a GaAs surface by thermal decomposition of diethylgalliumchloride observed by x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy

Clean surfaces of molecular beam epitaxially grown GaAs were exposed to diethylgalliumchloride (DEGaCl) and the resultant change was observed by in situ x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. At a substrate temperature of 300 °C, a self-limiting reaction between DEGaCl and the surface resulted in one monolayer of Ga deposition which is believed to lead to atomic layer epitaxy of GaAs using DEGaCl. No appreciable increase of Cl or C was observed after exposure. Discussion on the mechanism of the self-limiting reaction is also presented.