Photoemission characterization of the H2 plasma etched surface of InP

Synchrotron radiation soft x‐ray photoemission spectroscopy was used to characterize the surface chemistry of InP before and after exposure to a H2 plasma. The low‐power H2 plasma was generated with a commercial electron cyclotron resonance plasma source using a mixture of H2 and Ar with the plasma exposure being performed at ambient temperature. Plasma species were identified with quadrupole based mass spectrometry and optical emission spectroscopy. Photoemission measurements were acquired after each plasma exposure in order to observe changes in the valence‐band electronic structure as well as changes in the In 4d and P 2p core lines. The results were correlated in order to relate the plasma species and characteristics to changes in surface chemistry.