Adsorption-controlled growth of Bi4Ti3O12 by reactive MBE

Abstract

Adsorption-controlled conditions have been identified and utilized to grow epitaxial bismuth titanate thin films by reactive molecular beam epitaxy. Growth of stoichiometric, phase pure, c-axis oriented, epitaxial films is achieved by supplying a large overabundance of bismuth and ozone continuously to the surface of the depositing film. Titanium is supplied to the film in the form of shuttered bursts each containing a three monolayer dose of titanium to grow one formula unit of Bi4Ti3O12. It is seen from measured film thickness, Rutherford backscattering spectrometry composition measurements, monitoring of reflection high-energy electron diffraction half-order intensity oscillations during growth, and in situ flux measurements using atomic absorption spectroscopy that at suitable temperature and ozone background pressure, the titanium sticking coefficient approaches one and the excess bismuth desorbs from the surface. Film growth proceeds by the formation of mounds whose step heights are predominantly integral multiples of a half-unit cell.