Intensity oscillations of reflection high-energy electron diffraction during silicon molecular beam epitaxial growth

Abstract

Reflection high-energy electron diffraction (RHEED) intensity oscillations during Si molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) are observed for the first time. It is revealed that stable RHEED intensity oscillation exists during the MBE growth of a single-element semiconductor. The stable oscillations were observed only after preheating treatments. The substrate temperatures for the oscillation were from as low as room temperature to 1000 °C. One period of the oscillation corresponds to atomic-layer or biatomic-layer growth on the concerned surface. Oscillation of more than 2200 periods (∼6000 Å) was observed. One oscillation period can be as slow as 38 min.