Preparation of processed GaAs surface cleaning in view of molecular beam epitaxy regrowth by means of a O2SF6 microwave plasma has been investigated. Photoemission, Auger electron spectroscopy, atomic force microscopy and secondary ion mass spectrometry have been used for characterization. The O2SF6 plasma treatment was found to be very efficient for decontaminating the GaAs surface and leads to the formation of an oxide layer that can be taken off by a thermal or low-temperature H-plasma-assisted deoxidation. The levels of oxygen and carbon contaminants at the regrowth interface were measured to be in the range of a standard homoepitaxial layer-epiready substrate interface. Fluorine was observed to be eliminated upon deoxidation while sulphur is present, particularly in the case of low temperature grown layers. This plasma treatment was found to be efficient for preparation of processed GaAs surfaces for molecular beam epitaxial regrowth. (c) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.