Study of epitaxial growth of Ag on hydrogen terminated Si(111) and Si(100) surfaces

Abstract

We have employed reflection high energy electron diffraction (RHEED) to study Ag films grown on hydrogen terminated Si(111) and Si(100) substrates by molecular beam epitaxy. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and RHEED studies indicate 〈111〉 oriented growth of Ag on Si(111) substrates both at room temperature and at 275 °C with [011]Ag∥ [011]Si. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) studies showed an island growth (island size ∼3000 Å) for the samples grown at 275 °C. While XRD showed predominantly 〈100〉 oriented growth of Ag on Si(100) at room temperature, RHEED observations did not indicate a good epitaxial growth. The Ag films grown on Si(100) substrates at 275 °C showed a 〈100〉 oriented epitaxial growth with [001]Ag∥ [001]Si. SEM showed an island growth (island size∼3000 Å) for the samples grown at 275 °C.