Temperature dependence of the properties of heteroepitaxial Y2O3 films grown on Si by ion assisted evaporation

Heteroepitaxial Y2O3 films were grown on an Si(111) substrate by ion assisted evaporation in an ultrahigh vacuum, and their properties such as crystallinity, film stress, and morphological change were investigated using the various measurement methods. The crystallinity was assessed by x-ray diffraction (XRD) and reflection high-energy electron diffraction. Interface crystallinity was also examined by Rutherford backscattering spectroscopy (RBS) channeling and transmission electron microscopy. The strain of the films was measured by RBS channeling and XRD. Surface and interface morphological characteristics were observed by atomic force microscopy and x-ray scattering method. By comparing the interface with the surface characteristics, we can conclude that many defects at the interface region were generated by interface interaction between the yttrium metal and Si substrate. Moreover, the film quality dominantly depended on the deposition temperature. The crystallinity was greatly improved and the surface roughness was drastically decreased in the temperature range 500-600 degrees C. On the other hand, in the temperature range 600-700 degrees C, the compressive stress and film density were further increased, and the island size decreased. Also, the shape of the surface islands was transformed from elliptical to triangular. The film stress was found primarily at the interface area because of the interaction between yttrium and Si substrate. (C) 1999 American Institute of Physics. [S0021-8979(99)09013-1].