The interfacial layer formation of the Ag/InP heterointerfaces

Abstract

A new approach has been introduced for the fabrication of Ag/p-InP(100) heterostructures by ion-beam-assisted deposition with the goal of growing Ag epitaxial films. X-ray diffraction measurements showed that the Ag thin-him layers grown on the InP substrates were polycrystalline. Auger electron spectroscopy measurements showed that the Ag was uniformly distributed throughout the thickness of the him and that a relatively sharp interface existed. Transmission electron microscopy showed that the grown Ag him was a polycrystalline layer and that an interfacial layer was formed in the Ag/InP heterointerface. These results indicate that the growth of polycrystalline Ag layers instead of epitaxial films originates from the formation of an interfacial amorphous layer prior to the creation of the films. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.