Texture and cross-sectional microstructure of MgO films grown on silicon dioxide by electron-beam evaporation

The MgO films grown on amorphous SiO2 by electron-beam evaporation were inv estigated. The films with columnar microstructures were mainly with a(111)p referred orientation. The MgO crystallites near the MgO/SiO2 interface were very fine, which means a high nucleation rate at the initial stage of the film growth. The grains formed at the initial growth stage became less (111 ) oriented with increasing deposition temperature. Instead, the (100) textu re came to be enhanced. There occurred a somewhat abrupt change in the grai n size at the film thickness of 450 to 700 Angstrom. The (111) texture prev ailed over other orientations above that film thickness, regardless of the deposition temperature. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science S.A. All rights reserved.