Effect of metal content on the structure and phase composition of Fullerite-Sn films

This paper reports a study of fullerite-Sn films containing 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, or 20 at % Sn grown by thermal evaporation in vacuum using a combined atomic-molecular flow. The influence of metal content and thermal annealing on the surface topography, structure, and elemental and phase compositions of the fullerite-Sn films has been studied by atomic force microscopy, X-ray and electron diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, and X-ray microanalysis. The results demonstrate that films grown by codeposition of Sn atoms and fullerene molecules on oxidized single-crystal silicon substrates have a granular structure. The phase composition of the fullerite-Sn films varies widely, depending on the percentage of Sn: from an intercalated structure to a mixed-phase composite containing a hexagonal fullerite phase, tetragonal Sn, and fullerite-like structures containing Sn nanoparticles. Thermal annealing of the fullerite-Sn films leads to the formation of a new phase.