RF sputtering of epitaxial lead chalcogenide films in argon and krypton plasma

Abstract

The measurements of sputtering etch rates for monocrystalline (1 1 1)-oriented epitaxial films of semiconductor binary compounds PbTe, PbSe, PbS in RF high-density low-pressure inductively coupled argon and krypton plasma were performed. Films with 1-5 μm thickness were grown on Si(1 1 1) and BaF 2 (1 1 1) substrates using molecular beam epitaxy. Sputtering was carried out with the energy of Ar + and Kr + ions of 20-400 eV. The sputtering etch rates of the binary lead chalcogenides are demonstrated to have abnormally high values in comparison with the basic semiconductor materials of microelectronics. The sputtering yield values for PbTe, PbSe, PbS for the average energy of the argon ions of 200 eV are practically equal (0.46 ± 0.05 molecule/ion) and vary linearly with the variation of the ion energy. Substitution of the plasma discharge gas from the argon to krypton does not result in a significant change in the sputtering yield of lead chalcogenides. The physical principles of the observed phenomena are discussed.

Low Temperature RF-Plasma Initiated Rapid and Highly Ordered Fracture on Ag Nanowires

“…Then, the prepared samples were put in a chemical vapour deposition and treated by RF plasma, as shown in Figure 1c. In our case, 60 W power of RF (Ar + average energy with about 10-30 eV, which is around the 15 eV sputtering threshold energy of Ag [18,19]) was chosen to exert on samples. Such power of plasma can provide enough kinetic energy on the surfaces of AgNWs and meanwhile avoid sputtering.…”

Variation of Surface Nanostructures on (100) PbS Single Crystals during Argon Plasma Treatment

“…The first approach used by Zayachuk et al [33] is based on the classical consideration of the interactions between ions and multi-component materials, which suggests that the sputtering predominantly involves individual atoms of certain chemical elements. The second approach, which was used in our previous studies [12] and applied again in this work, considers that the dissociation energies of molecules in the crystalline and gaseous states for lead chalcogenides exceed the values of the sublimation energy [34]. Therefore, during the sputtering of lead chalcogenides, whole molecules and their complexes predominantly leave the surface rather than individual atoms.…”

Plasma‐assisted self‐formation of nanotip arrays on the surface of Cu(In,Ga)Se2 thin films

“…Secondly, the high flux density of argon ions heats the film surface. During the surface bombardment with argon ions having 200 eV energy, the surface temperature can increase up to 225 8C after 30 s [14]. Therefore, even at low treatment durations the In-Ga (In-Ga-Cu) nanoinclusions become liquid.…”