Atomic layer deposited Fe-sulfide layers with pyrrhotite structure controlled by the deposition temperature

Abstract

Atomic layer deposition was used to grow epitaxial iron sulfide layers on α-Al2O3 substrates. According to the transmission electron microscopic measurements, these Fe-sulfide films had 1C pyrrhotite structure (Fe1-xS). In the case of pyrrhotite materials, both the magnetic and electric properties depend significantly on their iron content and on the ordering of iron vacancies. By tuning the parameters of the atomic layer deposition method, the structure of epitaxial pyrrhotite films could be controlled, thus the electronic properties of the Fe1-xS films could be influenced: At deposition temperatures below 350 °C, the structure contained many faults, and the layers were n type semiconductors, while at higher temperatures, the resulting films were p-type with excellent crystalline structures with disordered vacancies. A post deposition annealing could further improve the crystallinity and induce p-type conductivity.