Lattice relaxation mechanism of ZnO thin films grown on c-Al2O3 substrates by plasma-assisted molecular-beam epitaxy

We report on the lattice relaxation mechanism of ZnO films grown on c-Al(2)O(3) substrates by plasma-assisted molecular-beam epitaxy. The lattice relaxation of ZnO films with various thicknesses up to 2000 nm is investigated by using both in situ time-resolved reflection high energy electron diffraction observation during the initial growth and absolute lattice constant measurements (Bond method) for grown films. The residual strain in the films is explained in terms of lattice misfit relaxation (compression) at the growth temperature and thermal stress (tension) due to the difference of growth and measurement temperatures. In thick films (>1 mu m), the residual tensile strain begins to relax by bending and microcrack formation. (c) 2007 American Institute of Physics.