In situ cleaning and characterization of oxygen- and zinc-terminated, n-type, ZnO{0001} surfaces

Chemical etching and annealing under an unspecified ambient and pressure were used for the initial cleaning studies of ZnO single crystals. The traces of residual S and Cl from the chemical treatments in H ₂SO ₄ and HCl were revealed by the results of x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and Auger electron spectroscopy (AES) of the ZnO(0001̄) surfaces. The surface microstructure is degraded by the thermal decomposition. The desorption of a delectable hydrocarbon species was the result of the exposure of the Zn surface to a remote plasma having an optimized He mixture for the optimized time, pressure and temperature.