Integration of MgO on Si(001) using SrO and SrTiO₃ buffer layers by molecular beam epitaxy

Epitaxial MgO was deposited onto Si(001) substrates by molecular beam epitaxy using elemental metallic sources and molecular oxygen at temperatures from 150 to 400°C. To facilitate epitaxy through misfit strain relaxation, epitaxial MgO layers were grown on SrO and SrTiO₃ buffer layers deposited on Si(001) substrates. The structure of the epitaxial layers was determined by X-ray diffraction, reflection high-energy electron diffraction and transmission electron microscopy. The observed orientation for the MgO/SrO/Si multilayer is cube-on-cube. The X-ray rocking curve full width half maximum of the MgO on SrO buffer layers was 2.2°. SrTiO₃ buffer layers grown by recrystallization were epitaxial and exhibited improved morphology relative to those grown at a fixed growth temperature. X-ray analysis of a 5.2 nm recrystallized SrTiO₃ film indicates a fully relaxed and phase pure film. The observed orientation of MgO using SrTiO₃ buffer layers is MgO[100]∥SrTiO₃[100]∥[110].