An InP(001)-(2 x 1) reconstruction was prepared by metal-organic vapour-phase epitaxy. Scanning tunnelling micrographs and infra-red spectra of adsorbed hydrogen revealed that the (2 x 1) was terminated with a complete layer of buckled phosphorous dimers, giving rise to p(2 x 2) and c(4 x 2) domains. A surface band gap of 1.2eV was measured by scanning tunnelling spectroscopy. The buckling could be explained by electron correlation among the dangling bonds of pairs of phosphorous dimers. This allows the surface to achieve a lower energy, semiconducting state. This reconstruction mimics the Si(100)-(2 x 1), which was terminated with buckled silicon dimers.

Example of a Compound Semiconductor Surface that Mimics Silicon - the InP(001)-(2 x 1) Reconstruction. L.Li, B.K.Han, Q.Fu, R.F.Hicks: Physical Review Letters, 1999, 82, 1879-82