Epitaxial growth of zinc-blende AlN on Si(100) substrates by plasma source molecular beam epitaxy

Epitaxial zinc-blende AlN films were deposited on Si(100) substrates by plasma source molecular beam epitaxy (PSMBE). The lattice parameter of the zincblende AlN was determined to be 4.373 Angstrom. The epitaxial relationship between film and substrate was (100)AlN parallel to(100)Si and [011]AlN parallel to[011]Si. The zinc-blende AIN films were formed using a hollow cathode source with a pulse d.c. power supply in the PSMBE system. The high energy and large density of the Al+ and N+ species emerging from the hollow cathode and the presence of a substrate surface with cubic symmetry are probably the main factors for the formation of the metastable zinc-blende phase of AlN.