High Quality InSb Films Grown on Si(111) Substrate via InSb Bi-Layer

Abstract

The heteroepitaxial growth of InSb films via InSb bi-layer (Si(111)-2 × 2-InSb surface reconstruction) was studied. The InSb bi-layer was able to be prepared by 1 monolayer Sb adsorption onto Si(111)-√7 × √3-In surface reconstruction, as well as the results with 2 × 2-In or√3 × √3-In. The InSb film grown via the √7 × √3-In surface reconstruction was fully rotated by 30° with respect to Si substrate. Because by using the √7 × √3-In surface reconstruction with higher In coverage, the area covered by the InSb bi-layer increased, and the area covered by 2 × 1-Sb surface phase which caused by desorption of In atoms from the InSb bi-layer decreased. Due to the decrease of the InSb crystals without rotation, which have poor crystal quality and electric properties, the electric properties of the films improved than those of the samples grown via 2 × 2-In. The cross-sectional scanning transmission electron microscope image clearly showed that the InSb film grown via the √7 × √3-In surface reconstruction has lower dislocation density than the sample directly grown on Si(111) substrate. [DOI: 10.1380/ejssnt.2009.145]