Transitions in GaAs(001) surface reconstruction were studied by using reflectance anisotropy spectroscopy. The transition between c(4 x 4) and (2 x 4) exhibited a 20C wide hysteresis cycle under As4 flux of 2 x 10-7Torr beam equivalent pressure. The width of the hysteresis becomes smaller under higher As4 pressure, i.e., at higher temperature and at higher speed of the temperature change. On increasing the temperature, the c(4 x 4) surface changes slowly into (2 x 4) in about 2h. The transition was a reversible reaction with different activation energies.

Transition with a Hysteresis Cycle in Surface Reconstruction on GaAs(001) Observed by Optical Reflectance Spectroscopy. T.Kita, M.Nakamoto, O.Wada: Physical Review B, 2003, 67[19], 193306 (4pp)