Fabrication and X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy of Nanostructured Semiconductor Thin Films and Particles

Nanostructured Ge granular films and freestanding InP nanoparticles have been prepared by physical vapor deposition and chemical methods, respectively. These samples were analyzed by x-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) for structural characterization and by x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy for chemical characterization. Ge-M films, where M is the matrix in which Ge nanoparticles are embedded, prepared by physical vapor deposition were used as an example of the granular films and the oxidation of Ge in various matrices was studied. The matrices included metallic Al and ceramic AI2O3, SiO2 and MgO. InP nanoparticles prepared by the chemical route were the example for freestanding nanoparticles. Core level and plasmon loss peaks were utilized in order to properly identify the chemical constituents of these nanoparticles.