ELECTROCHEMICAL PROPERTIES AND SURFACE MODIFICATIONS OF GALNAS TERNARY ALLOYS IN AQUEOUS-SOLUTIONS

Ternary compounds Ga0.47In0.53As have been studied by electrochemical techniques. Chemical transformations of the surface as a function of pH were extensively studied by coupling capacity measurements and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis. The following points have been evidenced: (i) behavior of GaInAs in the dark is governed by the anion rule in depletion polarization; and (ii) a chemical interaction between neutral and basic aqueous solutions and surface atoms exists and leads to the growth of a surface oxide film, evidenced from capacitance measurements, by the presence of interface states. The correlation between these states and the chemical transformation of the surface has been demonstrated by x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy.