Published online by Cambridge University Press: 25 February 2011
We have extended our studies of epitaxial insulator-metal-semiconductor heterostructures composed of CaF2 and CoSi2 layers grown on Si(111) substrates to cover a broader range of growth conditions. We find that rapid thermal annealing plays a crucial role in optimizing the epitaxial quality of the CaF2 layer over the entire range of conditions studied. The chemical stability of the fluoride layer is also enhanced by the annealing process.