Heteroepitaxial growth of InSb(111) on Si(111)

Abstract

Heteroepitaxial growth of InSb( 111) films on Si( 111 ) was investigated using two-step growth: heteroepitaxial interface growth (HIG) and InSb surface growth ( ISG). An Si ( 111 ) substrate with a hydrogen-terminated surface was prepared and introduced into the deposition chamber. In and Sb were evaporated from independent Knudsen cells. In was supplied to the 300 °C substrate without Sb to grow thin In layers at the initial stage of HIG. Then Sb was supplied and InSb film was grown continuously under the supply of In and Sb. Heteroepitaxial crystallites with directions InSb[111]∥Si[111] and InSb[1̄10]∥Si[1̄10] or InSb[11̄0]∥Si[1̄10] were formed after HIG. The 25 nm thick InSb(111) heteroepitaxial film on Si(111) formed by HIG was grown further at the higher substrate temperature of 430 °C by ISG. InSb films with a total thickness of approximately 3 µm were formed after the HIG and ISG. The reflection high energy electron diffraction (RHEED) patterns of the deposited film showed clear streaks of InSb( 111) with Kikuchi patterns. A single-domain InSb film with a smooth InSb( 111) surface was grown without a buffer layer. A room temperature electron mobility of 49 300 cm 2 V −1 s −1 was measured for the heteroepitaxial InSb( 111 ) /Si( 111 ) film.