Surface and interfacial structure of epitaxial SrTiO3 thin films on (0 0 1) Si grown by molecular beam epitaxy

F. Niu; B. W. Wessels

doi:10.1016/j.jcrysgro.2006.12.024

Surface and interfacial structure of epitaxial SrTiO₃ thin films on (0 0 1) Si grown by molecular beam epitaxy

F. Niu^*, B. W. Wessels

^*Corresponding author for this work

Materials Science and Engineering

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

21 Scopus citations

Abstract

Effects of relaxation of interfacial misfit strain and non-stoichiometry on surface morphology and surface and interfacial structures of epitaxial SrTiO₃ (STO) thin films on (0 0 1) Si during initial growth by molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) were investigated. In situ reflection high-energy electron diffraction (RHEED) in combination with X-ray diffraction (XRD), atomic force microscopy (AFM), X-ray photoelectron spectrometry (XPS) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) techniques were employed. Relaxation of the interfacial misfit strain between STO and Si as measured by in situ RHEED indicates initial growth is not pseudomorphic, and the interfacial misfit strain is relaxed during and immediately after the first monolayer (ML) deposition. The interfacial strain up to 15 ML results from thermal mismatch strain rather than lattice mismatch strain. Stoichiometry of STO affects not only surface morphology but interfacial structure. We have identified a nanoscale Sr₄Ti₃O₁₀ second phase at the STO/Si interface in a Sr-rich film.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	509-518
Number of pages	10
Journal	Journal of Crystal Growth
Volume	300
Issue number	2
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcrysgro.2006.12.024
State	Published - Mar 15 2007

Funding

We gratefully acknowledge the help of Dr. L.X. Cao for the high-resolution XRD analysis. This work was supported by the United Sates Air Force under Contract No. AFRL-33615-02-C-5053, the National Science Foundation under Contract Nos. MRSEC DMR-0076077 and ECS 0123469 and by SVTA Inc. through an MDA-STTR phase II contract.

Keywords

A1. Interfaces
A1. Surface structure
A3. Molecular beam epitaxy
B1. Oxide thin film
B2. Semiconducting silicon

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Condensed Matter Physics
Inorganic Chemistry
Materials Chemistry

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10.1016/j.jcrysgro.2006.12.024

Cite this

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title = "Surface and interfacial structure of epitaxial SrTiO3 thin films on (0 0 1) Si grown by molecular beam epitaxy",

abstract = "Effects of relaxation of interfacial misfit strain and non-stoichiometry on surface morphology and surface and interfacial structures of epitaxial SrTiO3 (STO) thin films on (0 0 1) Si during initial growth by molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) were investigated. In situ reflection high-energy electron diffraction (RHEED) in combination with X-ray diffraction (XRD), atomic force microscopy (AFM), X-ray photoelectron spectrometry (XPS) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) techniques were employed. Relaxation of the interfacial misfit strain between STO and Si as measured by in situ RHEED indicates initial growth is not pseudomorphic, and the interfacial misfit strain is relaxed during and immediately after the first monolayer (ML) deposition. The interfacial strain up to 15 ML results from thermal mismatch strain rather than lattice mismatch strain. Stoichiometry of STO affects not only surface morphology but interfacial structure. We have identified a nanoscale Sr4Ti3O10 second phase at the STO/Si interface in a Sr-rich film.",

keywords = "A1. Interfaces, A1. Surface structure, A3. Molecular beam epitaxy, B1. Oxide thin film, B2. Semiconducting silicon",

author = "F. Niu and Wessels, {B. W.}",

note = "Funding Information: We gratefully acknowledge the help of Dr. L.X. Cao for the high-resolution XRD analysis. This work was supported by the United Sates Air Force under Contract No. AFRL-33615-02-C-5053, the National Science Foundation under Contract Nos. MRSEC DMR-0076077 and ECS 0123469 and by SVTA Inc. through an MDA-STTR phase II contract. ",

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T1 - Surface and interfacial structure of epitaxial SrTiO3 thin films on (0 0 1) Si grown by molecular beam epitaxy

AU - Niu, F.

AU - Wessels, B. W.

N1 - Funding Information: We gratefully acknowledge the help of Dr. L.X. Cao for the high-resolution XRD analysis. This work was supported by the United Sates Air Force under Contract No. AFRL-33615-02-C-5053, the National Science Foundation under Contract Nos. MRSEC DMR-0076077 and ECS 0123469 and by SVTA Inc. through an MDA-STTR phase II contract.

PY - 2007/3/15

Y1 - 2007/3/15

N2 - Effects of relaxation of interfacial misfit strain and non-stoichiometry on surface morphology and surface and interfacial structures of epitaxial SrTiO3 (STO) thin films on (0 0 1) Si during initial growth by molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) were investigated. In situ reflection high-energy electron diffraction (RHEED) in combination with X-ray diffraction (XRD), atomic force microscopy (AFM), X-ray photoelectron spectrometry (XPS) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) techniques were employed. Relaxation of the interfacial misfit strain between STO and Si as measured by in situ RHEED indicates initial growth is not pseudomorphic, and the interfacial misfit strain is relaxed during and immediately after the first monolayer (ML) deposition. The interfacial strain up to 15 ML results from thermal mismatch strain rather than lattice mismatch strain. Stoichiometry of STO affects not only surface morphology but interfacial structure. We have identified a nanoscale Sr4Ti3O10 second phase at the STO/Si interface in a Sr-rich film.

AB - Effects of relaxation of interfacial misfit strain and non-stoichiometry on surface morphology and surface and interfacial structures of epitaxial SrTiO3 (STO) thin films on (0 0 1) Si during initial growth by molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) were investigated. In situ reflection high-energy electron diffraction (RHEED) in combination with X-ray diffraction (XRD), atomic force microscopy (AFM), X-ray photoelectron spectrometry (XPS) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) techniques were employed. Relaxation of the interfacial misfit strain between STO and Si as measured by in situ RHEED indicates initial growth is not pseudomorphic, and the interfacial misfit strain is relaxed during and immediately after the first monolayer (ML) deposition. The interfacial strain up to 15 ML results from thermal mismatch strain rather than lattice mismatch strain. Stoichiometry of STO affects not only surface morphology but interfacial structure. We have identified a nanoscale Sr4Ti3O10 second phase at the STO/Si interface in a Sr-rich film.

KW - A1. Interfaces

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KW - B1. Oxide thin film

KW - B2. Semiconducting silicon

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