An Auger investigation of the effects of rapid thermal annealing on GaAs on Si with or without intermediate Ge layers.

Scanning Auger analyses have been preformed on angle lapped GaAs/Ge, Ge/Si, GaAs/Si, and GaAs/Ge/Si structures grown by vacuum evaporation and MOCVD techniques. Elemental Auger line scans are shown to have an inherent spatial resolution of 40 - 45angstroms as a result of the angle of lapping, electron beam diameter, and Auger electron escape depth. To minimize the effects of artifacts such as residual lapping and Ar sup + sputtering damage and electron back scattering, the interfacial width, W sub i, for each species i, is defined by the difference (in angstroms) between the point where the Auger intensity is 75% of the full intensity in that layer (1 sub i = 0.751 sub (io)) and the point where the Auger intensity is 25% of the full intensity in that layer (1 sub i = 0.251 sub (io). These structures have interfaces that are 50 - 150angstroms wide.