The structural and compositional characterization of InSb films prepared by metalorganic magnetron sputtering

Abstract

Metalorganic magnetron sputtering has been used to deposit polycrystalline and homoepitaxial films of indium antimonide. In this technique a metal antimony target is magnetron sputtered in a reactive vapor of trimethylindium (TMI). Stoichiometric layers of indium antimonide could be deposited for all growth temperatures studied (20–370 °C). However, below 250 °C the films were either amorphous or composed of very small crystallites. Above 290 °C the layers were epitaxial as determined from the electron channeling patterns observed. For these layers the growth rate was controlled by the TMI flow with the excess antimony flux acting to stabilize the surface. The surface morphology was excellent with ‘‘mirrorlike’’ surfaces except at high TMI flows where indium surface droplets were formed.