Pulsed laser deposition of epitaxial silicon/h-Pr2O3/silicon heterostructures

Abstract

Epitaxial Si/praseodymium oxide/Si heterostructures were grown in situ on (111) oriented Si substrates using pulsed laser deposition. Growth of the oxide layer under oxygen deficient conditions resulted in hexagonal Pr₂O₃ (h‐Pr₂O₃) films which displayed a (001)Pr₂O₃∥(111)_Si, [110]Pr₂O₃∥[11̄0]_Si orientation and x‐ray rocking curve full width at half‐maximum values of ∼0.8°. The top Si layer grew epitaxially on the oxide film with a twinned (111)_Si∥(001)Pr₂O₃ orientation. The surface structure of both oxide and semiconductor layers was investigated in situ using reflection high energy electron diffraction, and the resulting films were characterized using x‐ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy.