Deposition of SiO2 Thin Films by Combined Low-Energy Ion-Beam and Molecular-Beam Epitaxial Method

Abstract

A combined ion-beam and molecular-beam epitaxial (CIBMBE) method was applied for the deposition of SiO2 thin films using a mass-separated low-energy (50 eV) O+ ion-beam and a Si molecular-beam. From X-ray photoelectron spectra, it was confirmed that stoichiometric SiO2 thin films were successfully formed, and it was suggested that the chemical state of the Si atoms in the SiO2 layers is identical (Si4+) to that in the films formed by the thermal oxidation of Si. It was suggested that the CIBMBE is a versatile technique for the deposition of SiO2 thin films whose quality is comparable to that of the films formed by the thermal oxidation method.