Growth and microstructure of MgO thin films on Si(100) substrates by metal-organic molecular beam epitaxy

thin films have been grown on Si(100) substrates at low temperatures of 500 -850 degrees C by metal-organic molecular beam epitaxy (MOMBE) using the so lid precursor magnesium acetylacetonate. Oxygen plasma is required to achie ve deposition. The composition of the films was determined by Auger electro n spectroscopy (AES). The as-deposited films are phase-pure, stoichiometric , crystalline MgO with a [100] texture. Carbon contamination of the film re sulting from precursor decomposition was not observed within detection limi ts. The deposition rate depended superlinearly on the plasma source power. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.