Nondestructive characterization of the surface aging of HgI2 crystal

Variable angle spectroscopic ellipsometry (VASE) and atomic force microscopy (AFM) measurements have been employed to characterize the surface aging of HgI2 crystals. A surface model including top surface roughness and subsurface defects was established and studied by VASE analysis, as a function of real time, after the 10% KI chemical etching. In this model, the surface defects associated with the surface aging were modeled by the Bruggeman effective-medium approximation (EMA) as a HgI2/voids mixed layer. The relative 2-dimensional (2D) surface-defect-densities were monitored as the surface aging proceeds. The VASE measurements indicated that high surface aging rates were related to high initial effective 2D surface-defect densities. The AFM profile revealed increasing physical surface roughness as surface aging took place. The cleaved HgI2 crystal surface presented a smooth surface and the lowest surface aging rate, while the as-grown HgI2 surface also presented a very low surface aging. The HgI2 surfaces baked at elevated temperatures presented accelerated surface aging phenomena after a 30 min. baking.