Surface states, surface potentials, and segregation at surfaces of tin-doped In₂O₃

Surfaces of In₂O₃ and tin-doped In₂O₃ (ITO) were investigated using photoelectron spectroscopy. Parts of the measurements were carried out directly after thin film preparation by magnetron sputtering without breaking vacuum. In addition samples were measured during exposure to oxidizing and reducing gases at pressures of up to 100Pa using synchrotron radiation from the BESSY II storage ring. Reproducible changes of binding energies with temperature and atmosphere are observed, which are attributed to changes of the surface Fermi level position. We present evidence that the Fermi edge emission observed at ITO surfaces is due to metallic surface states rather than to filled conduction band states. The observed variation of the Fermi level position at the ITO surface with experimental conditions is accompanied by a large apparent variation of the core level to valence band maximum binding energy difference as a result of core-hole screening by the free carriers in the surface states. In addition segregation of Sn to the surface is driven by the surface potential gradient. At elevated temperatures the surface Sn concentration reproducibly changes with exposure to different environments and shows a correlation with the Fermi level position.