Optimization of substrate pretreatment and deposition conditions for epitaxial growth of β-FeSi2 film on Si(100)

Effect of substrate treatment conditions, deposition temperature and deposition rate on the crystallinity of beta-FeSi2 films formed on Si substrate was investigated. The substrates were treated with Ne+ ion beams at room temperature and then annealed at 1073 K prior to film fabrication by means of ion beam sputter deposition (IBSD) method. Combinations of experimental parameters which promote the film growth with an epitaxial relationship of beta-FeSi2 (100) // Si (100) were identified. These results were explained qualitatively in terms of the substrate treatment conditions, deposition temperature, as well as on the local Fe/ Si ratio. The observed dependence of the film structure on these experimental parameters indicated that careful optimization of substrate treatment conditions and deposition parameters would further stimulate effort to fabricate beta-FeSi2 films with excellent crystalline properties. (C) 2013 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim