Growth of In-Doped PbTe Films on Si Substrates

Data on the evaporation behavior of Pb_{1 – x} In _x (0.10 x 0.70) melts were used to devise a procedure for the growth of vapor-phase In doped PbTe thin films on Si substrates. This approach offers the possibility of growing single-phase, homogeneous Pb_{1 – y} In _y Te films of controlled composition by adjusting the composition and temperature of Pb_{1 – x} In _x (0.10 x 0.50) melts. X-ray diffraction characterization demonstrates that the films grown on Si with no oxide layer consist of slightly misoriented crystallites, with their (100) axes normal to the film surface, whereas the films grown on substrates covered with a SiO₂ layer are polycrystalline, with a strong (100) texture.