Epitaxial growth of zinc-blende AlN on Si(100) substrates by plasma sourcemolecular beam epitaxy

Epitaxial zinc-blende AlN films were deposited on Si(100) substrates by pla sma source molecular beam epitaxy (PSMBE). The lattice parameter of the zin cblende AlN was determined to be 4.373 Angstrom. The epitaxial relationship between film and substrate was (100)AlN parallel to(100)Si and [011]AlN pa rallel to[011]Si. The zinc-blende AIN films were formed using a hollow cath ode source with a pulse d.c. power supply in the PSMBE system. The high ene rgy and large density of the Al+ and N+ species emerging from the hollow ca thode and the presence of a substrate surface with cubic symmetry are proba bly the main factors for the formation of the metastable zinc-blende phase of AlN.