Metastable He deexcitation at semiconductor interfaces

A review is given of the application of metastable deexcitation spectroscopy (MDS) to the study of the interface formation between semiconductors and different materials. In particular we present an overview of the results obtained on nanostructured interfaces, where strain and reaction between the substrate and the overlayer atoms drive the growth mode and the morphology of the system. As prototypical examples we discuss the growth of CaF2 on silicon and rare earths (Yb, Er) on silicon and gallium arsenide. The mechanisms and chemical reactions which bring to interface formation are examined on the basis of MDS results and their comparison with photoemission.