Growth of Si thin films on CeO2/Si(111) substrate using electron-beam evaporation

The growth mechanism of Si film on a CeO2(111)/Si(111) substrate has been i nvestigated using X-ray diffraction (XRD). double crystal XRD (DCXRD). tran smission electron microscopy (TEM). atomic force microscopy (AFM) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). We have epitaxially grown a CeO2 film on the Si(111) surface by deposition of CeO2 at 640 degreesC, When Si was dep osited at 620 degreesC on the CeO2(111)/Si(111)substrate using a high-vacuu m e-beam evaporator, it was observed from AFM images showed that the top Si laver consists XRD analysis that the Si film grew along the I I I I] direc tion. The TEM an of large mountains and deep valleys. The XPS data showed n o segregation of Ce on the Si layer surface. However, there was slight diff usion of Ce along the top layer Si grain boundary. These analysis results r eveal (hat at the early stage of deposition, Si crystal nuclei are formed o n a domain of the CeO2 film on Si(111) and grow three-dimensionally along t he [111] direction. and eventually these merge into large mountains.