LOW-TEMPERATURE GROWTH OF MGO BY MOLECULAR-BEAM EPITAXY

We have explored the epitaxial growth of MgO single crystals using separate O2 and Mg beams and also e-beam-evaporated MgO. The latter method is preferred as the incorporation efficiency of O2 turns out to be 10-3 even at 200°C in the former method. Excellent MgO grows by e-beam evaporation at temperatures down to 140 K (Tm/20), in agreement with expectations of Yang and Flynn. Good surface quality is achieved in heteroepitaxy, even for the first few monolayers. © 1990 The American Physical Society.