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Critical examination of growth rate for magnesium oxide (MgO) thin films deposited by molecular beam epitaxy with a molecular oxygen flux

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  31 January 2011

Mark D. Losego ,
H. Spalding Craft ,
Elizabeth A. Paisley ,
Seiji Mita ,
Ramon Collazo ,
Zlatko Sitar  and
Jon-Paul Maria
Jon-Paul Maria
Affiliation:
Department of Materials Science and Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina 27606
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Abstract

The authors report a study of molecular beam deposition of MgO films on amorphous SiO2 and (0001) GaN surfaces over a large range of temperatures (25–400 °C) and molecular oxygen growth pressures (10−7–10−4 Torr). This study provides insight into the growth behavior of an oxide with volatile metal constituents. Unlike other materials containing volatile constituents (e.g., GaAs, PbTiO3), all components of MgO become volatile at normal epitaxial growth temperatures (≥250 °C). Consequently, defining which species is the adsorption controller becomes ambiguous. Different growth regimes are delineated by the critical substrate temperature for Mg re-evaporation and the Mg:O flux ratio. These regimes have impact on phase purity, quartz crystal microbalance calibration, and film microstructure. The universal decay in deposition rate above growth 10−5 Torr O2 is also considered. By introducing a third flux of inert argon gas, rate reduction is attributed to increased molecular scattering and not oxidation of the metal source.

Keywords

OxideMolecular beam epitaxy (MBE)Nitride
Type
Articles
Information
Journal of Materials Research , Volume 25 , Issue 4 , April 2010 , pp. 670 - 679
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2010

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References

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