SURFACE POLARITON MODES ON ANISOTROPIC ETCHED SURFACES OF III-V SEMICONDUCTORS WITH DIFFERENT MORPHOLOGY

The surface relief of semi-insulating InP and GaAs has been investigated for several stages of three different types of morphology (grooves, dendrites, pyramids). Changes in dispersion and damping of surface phonon polaritons have been studied by the attenuated total reflection (ATR) method in the far-infrared region of 25-35 mum. Geometric parameters of surfaces have been independently measured by profilometry and then, after statistical treatment, they have been used for a numerical calculation of the changes in surface polariton damping. The results of the calculations were compared with the data obtained by the ATR method. An anomalous small damping of surface modes on the grooves-type microrelief of InP and a very large intensity of vibration modes of surface oxide on the dendrite-type microrelief of GaAs have been observed.