Stoichiometry and absolute atomic concentration profiles obtained by combined Rutherford backscattering spectroscopy and secondary-ion mass spectroscopy: InAs nanocrystals in Si

Rutherford backscattering spectroscopy (RBS) and secondary-ion mass spectroscopy (SIMS) were combined to achieve depth profiling calibrated in absolute atomic concentrations. This method was applied to InAs nanocrystals, grown by molecular beam epitaxy (MBE), buried in a Si matrix. By means of RBS, with its capability of accessing the buried layers, we determined the depth-integrated areal densities of As and In. These were used to calibrate the SIMS profiles with their high depth resolution and dynamic range in absolute atomic concentrations. This allowed us to identify, besides a well confined layer of stoichiometric InAs nanocrystals, significant diffusion of In and As into the Si matrix in despite of their larger atomic radii, and an excess of As due to its non-reactive deposition on Si from the excess As₄ flux during the MBE growth. On the basis of these findings, we suggest measures to optimize the MBE process for InAs/Si and similar systems.