Fractal properties of percolating film structures

We simulate nucleation and growth processes of thin films on the basis of the so-called rate equation approach allowing “atoms” to diffuse and rearrange whereby enhancing their co-ordination number. The resulting percolating structures are different from those obtained by the “pure” percolation model where “atomic diffusion” is not taken into account. However, the fractal properties for p = p_c are the same as for the percolation model with the fractal dimension of d_f = 1.896 and for random walks of d_w = 2.87. Moreover, d_f and d_w are independent on the diffusion time we choose for our simulations.     

Texture of CoSi2 films on Si(111), (110) and (001) substrates

Synchrotron radiation was used to study the texture of polycrystalline CoSi₂ films that were formed by a solid-state reaction between a 30 nm Co film and Si(111), (110) and (001) substrates. All films were strongly textured, and several texture components were identified. We discuss the simultaneous occurrence of axiotaxy (i.e. alignment of lattice planes across the interface) and several different types of epitaxy in each of the films. Comparison of the different texture components observed on the three substrate orientations suggests a strong preference for the alignment of CoSi₂{110} planes in the film with Si{110} planes in the substrate, and twinning around Si[111] directions.     

Comparison of growth mechanisms of silicon thin films prepared by HWCVD with PECVD

Hot-wire chemical vapor deposition (HWCVD) and plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) of Si thin films show different growth kinetic processes. According to the fractal analysis, the root-mean-square surface roughness δ and the film thickness d have the relation of δ ∼ d^β, where β is the dynamic scaling exponent related to the film growth mechanism. It was found that β is 0.44 for Si films prepared by HWCVD and 0.24 by PECVD. The former refers to a stochastic deposition while the latter corresponds to the finite diffusion of the radicals. Monte Carlo simulations indicate that the sticking process of growth radicals play an important role in determining the morphology of Si films.     

Effects of oxygen pressure on the growth of pulsed laser deposited ZnO films on Si(0 0 1)

ZnO thin films were prepared on Si(0 0 1) substrates using a pulsed laser deposition (PLD) technique and then their growth and properties were investigated particularly as a function of ambient O₂ pressure during film growth. It was found that the microstructure, crystallinity, orientation and optical properties of the films grown are strongly dependent on the O₂ pressures used. Completely c-axis oriented ZnO films are grown in a low O₂ pressure regime (5×10⁻⁴-5×10⁻² Torr), whereas a randomly oriented film with a much lower crystallinity and a rougher grained-surface is grown at an O₂ pressure of 5×10⁻¹ Torr. This deterioration in film quality may be associated with the kinetics of atomic arrangements during deposition. Our results suggest that ambient O₂ pressure is an important processing parameter and should be optimized in a narrow regime in order to grow a ZnO film of good properties in PLD process.     

Formation of (001)-textured grain in (111) polycrystalline silicon film

We report the formation of (001)-textured gains in (111) polycrystalline silicon (poly-Si) by Ni-mediated crystallization of amorphous silicon (a-Si) using a cap layer (MICC). The a-Si precursor deposited by plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition was dehydrogenated at 550 °C and then crystallized at 580 °C. The (001)-textured grains appear in the network of (111) poly-Si of ∼ 100 μm grains, which was confirmed by the analysis of electron back-scattered diffraction. From the kinetic study of the grain growth, it is found that the nucleation rate of (001) nuclei is higher than that of (111) ones, but the (111) grains grow faster than that of (001) grains.     

Si(111)衬底上生长GaN晶绳的研究

利用热壁化学气相沉积在Si(111)衬底上获得GaN品绳，采用傅里叶红外吸收谱(FTIR)、扫描电子显微镜(SEM)、选区电子衍射(SAED)、X射线衍射(XRD)和光致发光谱(PL)对晶绳进行组成、结构、形貌和光学特性分析。初步结果证明：在Si(111)衬底上获得择优生长的六方纤锌矿结构的GaN晶绳。SEM显示在均匀的薄膜上出现φ6μm的晶绳，FTIR显示GaN薄膜的主要成分为GaN同时含有少量的C污染，由XRD和SAED的综合分析得出晶绳呈六方纤锌矿单晶结构，PL测试表明晶绳呈现不同于GaN薄膜的发光特性。     

Three-dimensional deposition topography simulation based on new combinations of flux distribution and surface representation algorithms

The development of a full three-dimensional (3-D) deposition topography simulator is indispensable to the precise estimation of thin film deposition topography on asymmetric deposition geometries. In this study, we expand the application range of the equi-volume rate model (EVRM), a cell-based surface representation algorithm for full 3-D topography simulation, into rigorous flux distribution algorithms such as the Monte Carlo method (MCM) and the ballistic transport and reaction model (BTRM). A new full 3-D deposition topography simulation is conducted based on the new combinations of flux distribution and surface representation algorithms. To ensure the effectiveness of our simulation, we conduct numerous simulations for various deposition geometries with varying sticking coefficients and directionality factors. We also compare the simulation results of MCM-EVRM and BTRM-EVRM versions. From the viewpoint of precise simulated topography, a particle-based MCM has better suitability to a cell-based EVRM than a flux-based BTRM. In addition, from the viewpoint of computational time, the MCM-EVRM method is apt for the complex geometries and for the deposition processes of high sticking coefficient; such as physical vapor deposition and plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition. In the other hand, the BTRM-EVRM method is suitable for the simple geometries and for the processes of low sticking coefficient such as chemical vapor deposition.     

Growth process from amorphous GaN to polycrystalline GaN on Si (111) substrates

Amorphous GaN (a-GaN) films on Si (111) substrates have been deposited by RF magnetron sputtering with GaN powder target. The growth process from amorphous GaN to polycrystalline GaN is studied by XRD, SEM, PL and Raman. XRD data mean that annealing under flowing ammonia at 850-950 °C for 10 min converts a-GaN into polycrystalline GaN (p-GaN). The growth mechanism can be mostly reaction process through N³⁻ in amorphous GaN replaced by N³⁻ of NH₃. Annealing at 1000 °C, the appearance of GaN nanowires can be understood based on the vapor-liquid-solid (VLS) mechanism. In addition, XRD, PL and Raman measurement results indicate that the quality of GaN films increases with increasing temperature. The tensile stress in the films obtained at 1000 °C is attributable to the expansion mismatch between GaN and Si, with the gallium in the film playing a negligible role.     

The growth and transformation of Pd2Si on (111), (110) and (100) Si

Thin Pd films on (111), (110), (100) and amorphous Si substrates form [001] fiber textured Pd₂Si in the temperature range 100°–700°C. The degree of texture is a function of substrate orientation, increasing in the order amorphous Si, (100) Si, (110) Si and (111) Si. Only on the (111) Si substrate is the Pd₂Si film epitaxially oriented. Temperature-dependent growth on this orientation can be characterized by [001] textured growth, epitaxial azimuth orientation at the Si interface and progressive layer by layer formation of the mosaic crystal to the thin film surface.During Pd deposition, rapid non-diffusion-controlled growth of epitaxial Pd₂Si on (111) Si occurs at substrate temperatures of 100° and 200°C. An unidentified palladium silicide of low crystallographic symmetry forms during Pd deposition onto a 50°C substrate. The diffusion-controlled growth of Pd₂Si on (111) Si follows a t^0.5 dependence. The velocity constant is

$\text{k = 7 × 10}{}^{\mathrm{?2}}\text{exp}\text{?}\text{29200±800}\text{RT}\text{cm}{}^2\text{/}\text{sec}$

Palladium deposited on 100°C (111) Ge substrates reacts during deposition to form epitaxially oriented Pd₂Ge. However, growth of this phase at higher temperatures results in a randomly oriented film. The transformation of Pd₂Ge to PdGe is kinetically controlled. After a 15 min anneal at 560°±10°C in N₂ only PdGe is detectable on (111) Ge.The high temperature stability of thin film Pd₂Si is controlled by time- temperature kinetics. For a given annealing cycle, the nucleation and growth rates of the PdSi phase are inversely related to the crystalline perfection of Pd₂Si. Decreasing transformation rates follow the order (100), (110), (111) Si. formation of thin film Pd₂Si occurs by the formation of PdSi and subsequent growth of Si within the PdSi phase. After a 30 min N₂ anneal, initial transformation occurs at 735°C on (100) Si, 760°C on (110) Si and 840°C on (111) Si. Extended high temperature annealing produces a two-phase structure of highly twinned and misoriented Si and small PdSi grains that penetrate as much as 3 μm into the Si.     

Growth structure investigation of MgF2 and NdF3 films grown by molecular beam deposition on CaF2(111) substrates

The growth structure of MgF₂ and NdF₃ films grown on polished CaF₂(111) substrates deposited by molecular beam deposition has been investigated using transmission electron microscopy (TEM) of microfractographical and surface replications as well as cross-sectional TEM, atomic force microscopy, packing density, and absorption measurements. It has been shown that by taking advantage of ultrahigh vacuum environments and a special stratification property of MgF₂ and NdF₃ films, the preparation of nanocrystalline films of high packing density and low optical absorption is possible at a substrate temperature of 425 K.     

Studying natural oxide on the surface of n-Si(111), n-Si(100), and p-Si(111) single crystal wafers by X-ray reflection spectroscopy

The state of the surface of standard phosphorus-doped n-Si(111) and n-Si(100) (KEF grade) and boron-doped p-Si(111) (KDB grade) single-crystal wafers treated in a 50% HF–70% HNO₃ (1: 3, v/v) polishing solution has been studied using soft X-ray reflection spectroscopy. The fine structure of the reflection spectra in the region of the Si L _2,3 ionization threshold has been analyzed. The dependence of the natural oxide thickness on the orientation of a silicon single crystal surface is established.     

Dynamics of dysprosium silicide nanostructures on Si(001) and (111) surfaces

The growth and coarsening dynamics of dysprosium silicide nanostructures are observed in real-time using photoelectron emission microscopy. The annealing of a thin Dy film to temperatures in the range of 700–1050 °C results in the formation of epitaxial rectangular silicide islands and nanowires on Si(001) and triangular and hexagonal silicide islands on Si(111). During continuous annealing, individual islands are observed to coarsen via Ostwald ripening at different rates as a consequence of local variations in the size and relative location of the surrounding islands on the surface. A subsequent deposition of Dy onto the Si(001) surface at 1050 °C leads to the growth of the preexisting islands and to the formation of silicide nanowires at temperatures above where nanowire growth typically occurs. Immediately after the deposition is terminated, the nanowires begin to decay from the ends, apparently transferring atoms to the more stable rectangular islands. On Si(111), a low continuous flux of Dy at 1050 °C leads to the growth of kinked and jagged island structures, which ultimately form into nearly equilateral triangular shapes.     

Synthesis of hexagonal and cubic GaN thin film on Si (111) using a low-cost electrochemical deposition technique

Gallium nitride GaN thin films were deposited on Si (111) substrates using electrochemical deposition technique at 20 °C. SEM images and EDX results indicated that the growth of GaN films varies with the current density. XRD and Raman analyses showed the presence of hexagonal wurtzite and cubic zinc blende GaN phases with the crystallite size around 18-19 nm. Photoluminescence spectrum showed that the energy gaps of h-GaN/Si (111) and c-GaN/Si (111) were near 3.39 eV and 3.2 eV respectively at 300 K. Raman spectrum indicated the presence of mixed phonon modes of hexagonal and cubic GaN.     

Optical properties of GaN epilayers grown on Si (111) and Si (001) substrates

We report the observation of bright photoluminescence (PL) emission from two types of GaN epilayers grown by molecular beam epitaxy (MBE). Wurtzite phase GaN/Si (111) epilayers are grown by gas source MBE process, whereas cubic phase GaN epilayers are grown on (001) Si covered by thin SiC film in the process of Si annealing in propane prior to the GaN growth. PL emissions are identified based on the results of detailed PL and time-resolved PL investigations. For the wurtzite phase GaN we observe an efficient up in the energy transfer from bound to free excitons. This process is explained by a large difference in the PL decay times for two types (free and bound (donor, acceptor)) of excitonic PL emissions. For cubic phase GaN we confirm recent suggestion that acceptors have smaller thermal ionization energies than those in the wurtzite phase GaN.     

Capacitance of (001)SrRuO3/(001)SrTiO3 and (110)SrRuO3/(110)SrTiO3 interfaces in epitaxial heterostructures grown on LaAlO3 substrates

The temperature dependence of the permittivity ? measured at T = 120?300 K for SrTiO₃ layers in SrRuO₃/SrTiO₃/SrRuO₃ heterostructures grown on (001)-and (110)-oriented LaAlO₃ substrates is well approximated by the relation ?₀/? = C ₀ ^?1 (T ? T _CW) + ?₀/?_I, where the C ₀ and T _CW values virtually coincide with the Curie constant and the Curie-Weiss temperature, respectively, for SrTiO₃ single crystals. The specific capacitance of the (001)SrRuO₃/(001)SrTiO₃ and (110)SrRuO₃/(110)SrTiO₃ interfaces calculated using the obtained ?_I values is 2.7 and 6.4 μF/cm², respectively.     

The adsorption of O on (001) and (111) CdTe surfaces: A first-principles study

Density-functional theory and a pseudopotential plane-wave approach are employed to study the structural and electronic properties of oxygen on CdTe (001) and (111) surfaces. The energetically favored configuration for oxygen adsorption on CdTe (001) is that where the O adatoms are located at the Cd-terminated B site, while O adatoms are at the Cd-terminated H₃ site of CdTe (111) surface among the structures examined. Some possible surface defects are also examined on CdTe (001) and (111) surfaces. Oxygen can easily diffuse into the CdTe substrate at the (111) surface compared with the (001) surface.     

Recrystallization on their substrates of Au (001)/NaCl (001) films into Au (111)/NaCl (001) Part I. Electron Microscopy and electron diffraction observations

The electron-gun evaporation technique for the deposition of Au and Ag films onto (001) NaCl leads to a decrease in the epitaxial temperatures of these materials to 75° and 50°C respectively. This decrease has enabled us to use a wide range of temperatures for film recrystallization without destruction of the substrate. The annealing of the films on their substrates leads to a change in their orientation from metal (001)/NaCl (001) to metal (111)/NaCl (001). In the present work the experimental and kinetic conditions of this transformation process are given.