Phase selection in the rare earth silicides

Eames, C., Reakes, M., Tear, S., Noakes, T. and Bailey, Paul (2010) Phase selection in the rare earth silicides. Physical Review B, 82 (17). p. 174112. ISSN 1098-0121

Abstract

The rare earth silicides form islands with a tetragonal or a hexagonal structure that coexist when grown on the Si(100) surface. We show using medium energy ion scattering that it is possible to selectively grow one of these as a pure phase by controlling the mobility of the rare earth atoms as they are deposited. When dysprosium, holmium, and erbium are deposited onto a liquid nitrogen cooled substrate the hexagonal structural phase is formed after annealing. When erbium and holmium are deposited onto a hot substrate only the tetragonal phase results. For dysprosium silicide growth under conditions of high mobility causes approximately equal numbers of hexagonal and tetragonal islands to form. The system offers a means to obtain fine control over physical properties such as the Schottky barrier height.

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