Local triboelectrification of an $n$-GaAs surface using the tip of an atomic-force microscope

The method of scanning Kelvin-probe microscopy is used to show that the effect of triboelectrification is observed when the tip of an atomic-force microscope interacts with the surface of $n$-GaAs epitaxial layers. The sign of the change in the potential indicates that the sample surface after triboelectrification becomes more negative. The observed specific features of the phenomena can be attributed to the thermally activated generation of point defects in the vicinity of the sample surface due to deformation caused by the tip.