The XPS method combined with argon-ion etching has been applied in order to study the chemical depth profile of surface thermal-oxide layers on GaP( ). The influence of the ion etching process on the depth profile has been studied. The deviation of the measured profile from the true one was caused mainly by the fact that atoms are not removed layer by layer by ion etching. The thermal oxide formed on GaP has been identified as GaPO 4 . It has been found that the width of the transition region increases as the thickness of the surface oxide layers increases. For example, when GaP( ) is oxidized at 700°C for 15 min, a surface oxide layer of 340 Å is formed, and the transition region has a width of 175±73 Å.
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Nishitani et al. (1978) studied this question.