Effect of Sb content on the phase composition of CoSb x nanofilms grown on a heated substrate

Abstract

We have studied the phase composition and crystal structure of CoSb x (1.82 ≤ x ≤ 4.16) nanofilms (30 nm) grown by molecular beam epitaxy on oxidized single-crystal silicon substrates at a temperature of 200°C, followed by heat treatment in vacuum at temperatures from 300 to 700°C. The as-grown films were found to be polycrystalline, with no preferential orientation. The effect of Sb content on the phase composition of the films was consistent with equilibrium phase diagram data for bulk Co-Sb materials. Vacuum annealing at temperatures above 450–500°C led to Sb sublimation not only from the crystalline phase but also from the antimonides, thereby increasing the percentages of the CoSb and CoSb2 phases and reducing the amount of CoSb3. The 30-nm-thick CoSb x (1.8 ≤ x ≤ 4.16) films were thermally stable at temperatures of up to 350°C.