The kinetics of the thermal formation of anion vacancies, and subsequent stoichiometry changes on the (110) cleavage surfaces of III-V semiconductors, were investigated by means of scanning tunnelling microscopy. It was found that the rate of spontaneous formation of monovacancies depended sensitively upon the doping of the underlying semiconductor and upon the concentration of surface vacancies. It was shown that the position of the Fermi energy at the surface was the major electronic effect upon the energy barrier height for vacancy formation. Barrier heights ranging from 1.1 to 1.3eV were found.

Stoichiometry Changes by Selective Vacancy Formation on (110) Surfaces of III-V Semiconductors: Influence of Electronic Effects. U.Semmler, M.Simon, P.Ebert, K.Urban: Journal of Chemical Physics, 2001, 114[1], 445-51