Epitaxial Growth of Iron-Silicide Nanodots on Si Substrates Using Ultrathin SiO₂ Film Technique and Their Physical Properties

Abstract

We developed a formation technique for iron silicide nanodots (NDs) on Si substrates using ultrathin SiO 2 film technique. In this technique, the NDs were epitaxially grown on Si substrates with ultrahigh density (>10 12 cm -2 ). Furthermore, the crystal structures in formed NDs are controllable even though iron silicide has complicated phase diagram. The optical properties of semiconductor E-FeSi 2 NDs were measured on nanometer scale, which clarified their optical absorption band edges. Magnetic properties of formed Fe 3 Si NDs were investigated, which indicated the magnetic dipole interactions in ultrahigh density ND system. This strongly depended on ND morphology demonstrating magnetic properties could be controlled by manipulating ND formation.