Published online by Cambridge University Press: 28 February 2011
Graded (Ca,Ba)F2 layers consisting of near lattice matched CaF2 at the Si interface and of BaF2 with 14% increased lattice constant at the top surface were grown by molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) on Si(111). Smooth and crackfree layers exhibiting Rutherford backscattering (RBS) channeling minima below 5% were obtained. Device quality epitaxial layers of PbTe, PbSe and (Pb,Sn)Se were grown on top of these structures. Mechanical stress at 300K was relaxed by athermal mechanisms in the fluoride- as well as in the Pb-salt films. - In preliminary runs, epitaxial CdTe-layers were obtained on Si(111) using the same fluoride-buffer film technique and which showed clear SEM electron channeling patterns.