Spectroscopic characterization of high-purity polycrystalline Bi–Te films grown by thermal evaporation

Abstract

Thin films of BixTey with various compositions have been grown on Si(100) substrates by thermal evaporation with the use of a Molecular Beam Epitaxy (MBE) system. The growth was performed in the co-deposition mode. The effect of stoichiometry and growth conditions on the structural and electronic properties of the films was studied. Films with compositions corresponding to the compound Bi2Te3 and with compositions rich in Te and Bi were studied. Two different phases which crystallized in the hexagonal family were recognized: trigonal Bi2Te3 with the lattice parameters of a=4.44Å and c=30.47Å and hexagonal BiTe with the lattice parameters of a=4.39Å and c=24.02Å. The analysis of photoemission from the Bi and Te core levels confirmed the structural studies. The layered structure of BixTey films caused that the found crystal phases are accompanied by layers of pure elements Te or Bi depending on the stoichiometry. Angle dependent photoelectron spectroscopy studies showed the tendency of segregation direction – towards the surface for Te layers and opposite one for metallic Bi.