Studies of early stages of Mn/GaN(0001) interface formation using surface-sensitive techniques

Non-doped GaN(0001) crystals are used as substrates in this study, on which Mn films are vapour deposited in situ under ultrahigh vacuum (UHV). The early stages of the Mn/GaN(0001) interface formation at room temperature are determined by means of X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy (UPS) and low-energy electron diffraction (LEED). The electron affinity for the already cleaned GaN(0001)-(1 × 1) surface, achieved by thermal cleaning, is 3.5 eV. The binding energy (BE) of the Ga-3d core level line shifts from 20.3 eV to 19.8 eV and the Mn-3p state from 47.6 eV to 47.2 eV upon stepwise Mn deposition due to charge transfer, e.g. Schottky barrier (SB) formation. The splitting of the Mn-2p doublet amounts to 11.2 eV and the Mn-2p3/2 peak has a BE of 638.7 eV, these values corresponding to metallic manganese. The work function of the Mn films with the thickness of 1 nm is 3.4 eV and slightly decreases to 3.2 eV with further overlayer thickness. The SB height of the interface is determined to be 1.2 eV. The Mn films show no LEED patterns. The XPS results, generally, show the absence of any interfacial compound formation.