Microstructure of epitaxial erbium-silicide films formed by solid phase reaction on vicinal Si(1 0 0) substrate

• Published in: Journal of crystal growth Vol. 244; no. 3; pp. 305 - 312
• Main Authors: Lee, Young-Ki, Lee, Min-Sang, Lee, Jong-Su
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier B.V 01.10.2002; Elsevier
• Subjects: A1. Crystal morphology; A1. Growth models; A1. X-ray diffraction; A3. Solid phase epitaxy; B1. Rare earth compounds; Cross-disciplinary physics: materials science; rheology; Exact sciences and technology; Materials science; Methods of deposition of films and coatings; film growth and epitaxy; Physics; Solid phase epitaxy; growth from solid phases; 81.05.Je; 68.55.−a; A1. Growth models; 82.80.Fj; B1. Rare earth compounds; A3. Solid phase epitaxy; 81.15.Np; A1. X-ray diffraction; A1. Crystal morphology; Inorganic compounds; Crystal orientation; Solid-solid interfaces; Rare earth compounds; Solid-phase epitaxy; Experimental study; Substrates; Thin films; Erbium silicides; Vicinal surface; Domain structure; Mismatch lattice; Growth mechanism; Heterojunctions; Interface reaction; Microstructure; Thermal annealing
• ISSN: 0022-0248; 1873-5002
• DOI: 10.1016/S0022-0248(02)01695-0

The domain structure in epitaxial erbium silicide (ErSi 2) films grown on (1 0 0)Si substrates through the solid phase reaction during annealing is mainly investigated by X-ray diffraction methods. The ErSi 2 films grown on both the vicinal substrate and the on-axis substrate have a preferred orientation, i.e., the ( 1 1 ̄ 0 0 ) plane of the ErSi 2 is parallel to the (1 0 0)Si surface, and the films consist of two types of domains, i.e., [0 0 0 1]ErSi 2 is parallel to either [0 1 1 ̄ ] Si or [0 1 1]Si. The ω-mode rocking curve measurements of the (2 2 ̄ 0 1) ErSi 2 asymmetric reflection show that the volume fractions of two types of domains are almost equal on the on-axis surface and have a difference of about 30% on the vicinal surface. The formation of the double-domain structure is discussed on the basis of geometrical matching at interface between the (1 1 ̄ 0 0) ErSi 2 film and the (1 0 0)Si substrate, and a growth model is also proposed.