A RHEED study of temperature dependence of homoepitaxy of SnTe(111)

Abstract

SnTe single crystals were grown by vacuum evaporation of SnTe on their (111) surfaces at various temperatures from 30 to 370°C. The growth rate was 0.2 to 0.7 nm/min. We used in situ reflection high energy electron diffraction (RHEED) for studying the growth. From the change in the intensity of scattered electrons during growth, it is concluded that the mode of growth depends on the substrate temperature: At the temperatures above 200°C, the crystal grows by step flow. Layer-by-layer growth takes place at temperatures around 150°C, and the layer is a SnTe double laye of 0.35 nm thickness. At temperatures below about 100°C, the (111) surface becomes rough after the nucleation of two-dimensional islands of SnTe double layers on the substrate surface.