Atomic geometries of zincblende compound semiconductor surfaces: Similarities in surface rehybridizations

Atomic geometries of zincblende compound semiconductor surfaces are reviewed in the light of recent work done on (111) and (311) GaAs surfaces. The geometries derived from low-energy electron diffraction and from energy-minimization calculations, and electron energy-loss spectroscopy data on the surface electronic transitions indicate that the microscopic structures of the (110), (111)-A and (311)-B surfaces have common features and suggest that similar bond rehybridization mechanisms dominate atomic displacements at these surfaces.