Si–MBE: Growth and Sb doping

Abstract
Silicon epitaxial films are deposited on 51-mmφ Si substrates by the molecular beam technique. Silicon and the dopant antimony are evaporated from separate sources. Typical process conditions before and during the growth are as follows: substrate heat cleaning at 1173 K for five minutes, substrate temperature 1023 K, growth rate 1 μm/h, film thickness between 0.1 and 3 μm. This procedure is found to be sufficient for obtaining dislocation-free films. The total Sb concentration in the MBE films is measured by neutron activation analysis, the electrically effective concentration with Hall or C–V measurement. Carrier concentrations between 3×1014 and 2×1019 cm−3, and Hall mobilities between 100 and 1400 cm2/V s are obtained. Profiles of the total Sb concentration and of the carrier concentraton with its extremely abrupt substrate-to-epilayer interface elucidate the advantage of the low-temperature MBE technique.