Structure and Properties of Thin Magnetron Films of Cadmium Arsenide on Various Substrates

Abstract

Purpose of the study. Synthesis of cadmium arsenide magnetron films on various substrates and study of their structure, composition, optical and electrical properties.Methods. The deposition of thin films of cadmium arsenide was carried out by the method of non-reactive highfrequency magnetron sputtering in an argon atmosphere. The structure and composition of the films were studied using X-ray phase analysis, scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive analysis, and small-angle X-ray diffractometry. Optical studies were performed using Raman spectroscopy. The results of a study of the electrical properties of thin films of cadmium arsenide are presented.Results. On silicon, sapphire, and strontium titanate substrates, thin films of the Dirac semimetal, cadmium arsenide, were obtained with a thickness of about 40 nm. A study of their structure and composition showed a significant effect of annealing in an argon atmosphere following deposition on the crystallinity of the film. After annealing, regardless of the crystal structure of the substrate, partial orientation of the film with the (112) texture axis. The films closest to the stoichiometric composition were obtained by deposition followed by annealing onto an oriented strontium titanate substrate, and to the crystal structure of cadmium arsenide single crystals of a film on a sapphire substrate. Annealing also leads to a smoothing of the film surface, a decrease in structural defects, and the transition of the fractal dimension of its topology to two-dimensional from close to three-dimensional immediately after deposition. The optical properties after annealing also change, which indicates their transition from a polycrystalline (amorphous) state to a single-crystal (textured).Conclusion. Experimental studies of the structure and properties performed by various methods made it possible to establish that single-crystal or textured cadmium arsenide films suitable for studying the manifestation of topological properties can be obtained by controlled annealing.