Growth of praseodymium oxide on Si(111) under oxygen-deficient conditions

Journal Article · Wed Jul 15 04:00:00 EDT 2009 · Physical Review. B, Condensed Matter and Materials Physics

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PHYSREVB.80.045414· OSTI ID:21287049

Schaefer, A ^[1]; Zielasek, V; Baeumer, M ^[1]; Schmidt, Th; Schowalter, M; Schulz, Ch; Rosenauer, A; Falta, J ^[2]; Sandell, A ^[3]; Seifarth, O; Schroeder, T ^[4]; Walle, L E ^[5]; Wollschlaeger, J ^[6]

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1. Institute of Applied and Physical Chemistry, University of Bremen, Leobener Str. NW2, D-28359 Bremen (Germany)
2. Institute of Solid State Physics, University of Bremen, P.O. Box 330440, D-28334 Bremen (Germany)
3. Department of Physics and Materials Science, Uppsala University, P.O. Box 530, SE-75121 Uppsala (Sweden)
4. IHP, Im Technologiepark 25, D-15236 Frankfurt/ Oder (Germany)
5. Department of Physics, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, NO-7491 Trondheim (Norway)
6. Department of Physics, University of Osnabrueck, Barbarastrasse 7, D-49069 Osnabrueck (Germany)

Surface science studies of thin praseodymium oxide films grown on silicon substrates are of high interest in view of applications in such different fields as microelectronics and heterogeneous catalysis. In particular, a detailed characterization of the growth and the final structure of the films are mandatory to achieve a fundamental understanding of such topics as oxygen mobility and defect structure, and their role for the electronic and chemical properties. In this paper, the MBE growth of praseodymium oxide films on Si(111) substrates was investigated at low-deposition rates (0.06 nm/min) and low-oxygen partial pressures (p(O{sub 2})<1x10{sup -10} mbar). To obtain insight into the structure and chemical composition of the growing film, spot profile analyzing low-energy electron diffraction (SPA-LEED), transmission electron microscopy, and synchrotron radiation-based x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and x-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) were applied. SPA-LEED reveals the formation of an initial closed layer followed by continuous roughening and formation of ordered three-dimensional structures. This result is in contrast to observations at higher-deposition rates, were a layer-by-layer growth was reported. XAS and XPS provide evidence that a continuous reaction takes place in the growing Pr{sub 2}O{sub 3} film leading to the formation of silicate and silicide structures within the film. Combining all data, a consistent picture of the deposition of praseodymium oxide on Si(111) emerges which clearly shows that in contrast to higher-throughput molecular beam epitaxy conditions the reactivity of the growing film strongly influences the growth behavior at low-deposition rates and low pressures.

• OSTI ID: 21287049
• Journal Information: Physical Review. B, Condensed Matter and Materials Physics, Journal Name: Physical Review. B, Condensed Matter and Materials Physics Journal Issue: 4 Vol. 80; ISSN 1098-0121
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
ABSORPTION SPECTROSCOPY
CHEMICAL COMPOSITION
CHEMICAL PROPERTIES
CRYSTAL GROWTH
DEPOSITION
ELECTRON DIFFRACTION
HETEROGENEOUS CATALYSIS
LAYERS
MOBILITY
MOLECULAR BEAM EPITAXY
OXYGEN
PRASEODYMIUM OXIDES
REACTIVITY
SILICON
SUBSTRATES
SURFACES
SYNCHROTRON RADIATION
THIN FILMS
THREE-DIMENSIONAL CALCULATIONS
TRANSMISSION ELECTRON MICROSCOPY
X-RAY PHOTOELECTRON SPECTROSCOPY
X-RAY SPECTRA
X-RAY SPECTROSCOPY