XPS study of oxidation process on Bi/sub 2/Te/sub 3/ surface

Abstract

The oxidation process on the Bi/sub 2/Te/sub 3/ surface was investigated by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The oxidized surface was found to have the Bi-O-Te structure with a definite thickness. The estimated oxide thicknesses from the XPS results were saturated at 1.5-2.0 nm, which was about two quintuple oxide layers thick in our oxide model. Experimental data were compared to a modified Cabrera-Mott oxidation rate model and the oxidation time dependence of the oxide thickness could be fitted very well.