Many present
challenges in semiconductor technology are related to utilizing solid
structures with atomic scale dimensions and materials with higher charge
carrier mobility and/or other readily controllable properties. These include
many surface-related problems because the ratio of surface parts of devices to
the whole material volume increases all the time in practical device
structures. One of the major problems has been oxidation of semiconductor
surfaces during the manufacturing of devices.

This PhD work deals
with the surface and oxide interface properties of different III–V
semiconductors induced by the oxidation, the study of which is imperative in
realizing devices with desired characteristics. The general goal has been in
finding answers to these problematic issues on atomic scale, and whether they
can be resolved with simple parameter control of a thermal oxidation treatment.
Much of the work leans on a previous novel finding of crystalline oxide phases
on indium-containing III–V semiconductor (100) surfaces. Various aspects of
applicability of such a structure in real semiconductor devices are considered
in this work.

Common denominator
in all of the experiments and studies is that the initial investigations were
carried out in very controlled environment in ultrahigh-vacuum: detailed basics
and initial characterizations were carried out with high resolution and
precision surface science methods. In particular, this work has resulted in
novel crystalline oxide phases observed on GaSb(100) and InSb(111)B
semiconductor surfaces. They have been extensively discussed from an applied
point of view as well as their fundamental characteristics, relating to their
already previously studied counterpart, InSb(100). Furthermore, beneficial
passivating characteristics of a stabilizing crystalline InOx interfacial layer
beneath an Al2O3 and reasons behind such behavior are
demonstrated for InGaAs IR detector device structure.

This thesis provides
background of semiconductors, their surfaces, interfaces, and semiconductor
technology as appropriate, research methods utilized, and briefly summarizes
the findings of the work.