Growth and crystallization of amorphous antimony films obliquely deposited in a vacuum of 10-5 Pa

The growth and crystallization of amorohous antimony (a-Sb) films deposited onto collodion were studied as a function of the oblique angle Θ of the incident vapour beam with respect to the normal to the substrate surface by both electron and optical microscopies. The crystallization thickness increases gradually from 18 to 25 nm as Θ increases from 0° to 70° and jumps to 120–130 nm at Θ = 80° while the crystallinity of the crystallized film deteriorates as Θ increases. Crystallites grown in the a-Sb film retain a disk-like shape for normal deposition and a shape that is elongated perpendicularly to the vapour beam for oblique beam for oblique deposition. When Θ = 80° however, the film remains only partially crystallized even at a thickness of 120–130 nm and the crystallite shape is irregular. It is found that these phenomena are brought about not only by the characteristic growth of the obliquely deposited film but also probably by the adsorption of the residual gases on the internal surface developed in such a film.