Influence of magnetron sputtering conditions on the structure and surface morphology of InxGa1–xAs thin films on a GaAs (100) substrate

  • Oleg V. Devitsky Federal Research Center Southern Scientific Center of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 41 Chekhov str., Rostov-on-Don 344006, Russian Federation; North Caucasian Federal University, 1 Pushkina str., Stavropol 355017, Russian Federation https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3153-696X
  • Alexey A. Zakharov North Caucasian Federal University, 1 Pushkina str., Stavropol 355017, Russian Federation https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0379-9383
  • Leonid S. Lunin Federal Research Center Southern Scientific Center of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 41 Chekhov str., Rostov-on-Don 344006, Russian Federation; North Caucasian Federal University, 1 Pushkina str., Stavropol 355017, Russian Federation https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5534-9694
  • Igor A. Sysoev North Caucasian Federal University, 1 Pushkina str., Stavropol 355017, Russian Federation https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5415-0782
  • Alexander S. Pashchenko Federal Research Center Southern Scientific Center of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 41 Chekhov str., Rostov-on-Don 344006, Russian Federation; North Caucasian Federal University, 1 Pushkina str., Stavropol 355017, Russian Federation https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7976-9597
  • Dmitry S. Vakalov North Caucasian Federal University, 1 Pushkina str., Stavropol 355017, Russian Federation https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6788-3811
  • Oleg M. Chapura North Caucasian Federal University, 1 Pushkina str., Stavropol 355017, Russian Federation https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6691-0010
Keywords: Magnetron sputtering, Thin films, Raman scattering, Surface morphology, A3B5 compounds

Abstract

We present the results of the study of the structure and surface morphology of InxGa1–xAs thin films on a GaAs substrate. Thin films were obtained by magnetron sputtering from a specially formed In0.45Ga0.55As target in an argon atmosphere.
The obtained samples of thin films were studied by Raman scattering, atomic force microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. It was shown that the grains of the films obtained at a substrate temperature below 600 °C were not faceted and were formed through the coalescence of grains with a size of 30–65 nm. At a substrate temperature of 600 °C, films consisted of submicron grains with a visible faceting.
It was determined that the average grain size increased and the root-mean-square roughness of thin films decreased due to an increase in the substrate temperature. Thin films obtained at a substrate temperature of 600 °C possessed the best structural properties

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Author Biographies

Oleg V. Devitsky, Federal Research Center Southern Scientific Center of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 41 Chekhov str., Rostov-on-Don 344006, Russian Federation; North Caucasian Federal University, 1 Pushkina str., Stavropol 355017, Russian Federation

Cand. Sci. (Tech.), Senior
Researcher, Laboratory of Physics and Technology of
Semiconductor Nanoheterostructures for Microwave
Electronics and Photonics, Federal Research Centre
Southern Scientific Centre of the Russian Academy of
Sciences (Rostov-on-Don, Russian Federation); Senior
Researcher, Scientific and Educational Centre for
Photovoltaics and Nanotechnology, North Caucasian
Federal University (Stavropol, Russian Federation).

Alexey A. Zakharov, North Caucasian Federal University, 1 Pushkina str., Stavropol 355017, Russian Federation

Junior Researcher, Scientific
and Educational Centre for Photovoltaics and
Nanotechnology, North Caucasian Federal University
(Stavropol, Russian Federation).

Leonid S. Lunin, Federal Research Center Southern Scientific Center of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 41 Chekhov str., Rostov-on-Don 344006, Russian Federation; North Caucasian Federal University, 1 Pushkina str., Stavropol 355017, Russian Federation

Dr. Sci. (Phys.–Math.), Chief
Researcher, Laboratory of Physics and Technology of
Semiconductor Nanoheterostructures for Microwave
Electronics and Photonics, Federal Research Centre
Southern Scientific Centre of the Russian Academy of
Sciences (Rostov-on-Don, Russian Federation; Chief
Researcher, Scientific and Educational Center for
Photovoltaics and Nanotechnology, North Caucasian
Federal University (Stavropol, Russian Federation).

Igor A. Sysoev, North Caucasian Federal University, 1 Pushkina str., Stavropol 355017, Russian Federation

Dr. Sci. (Tech.), Director, Scientific
and Educational Centre for Photovoltaics and
Nanotechnology, North Caucasian Federal University
(Stavropol, Russian Federation).

Alexander S. Pashchenko, Federal Research Center Southern Scientific Center of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 41 Chekhov str., Rostov-on-Don 344006, Russian Federation; North Caucasian Federal University, 1 Pushkina str., Stavropol 355017, Russian Federation

Cand. Sci. (Phys.–Math.),
Senior Researcher, Head of the Laboratory of Physics
and Technology of Semiconductor
Nanoheterostructures for Microwave Electronics and
Photonics, Federal Research Center Southern Scientific
Center of the Russian Academy of Sciences (Rostovon-
Don, Russian Federation; Senior Researcher,
Scientific and Educational Center for Photovoltaics
and Nanotechnology, North Caucasian Federal
University (Stavropol, Russian Federation).

Dmitry S. Vakalov, North Caucasian Federal University, 1 Pushkina str., Stavropol 355017, Russian Federation

Cand. Sci. (Phys.–Math.), Head
of the Research Laboratory of Physicochemical
Methods of Analysis, Scientific-laboratory Complex of
Clean Rooms, Faculty of Physics and Technology,
North Caucasian Federal University (Stavropol, Russian
Federation)

Oleg M. Chapura, North Caucasian Federal University, 1 Pushkina str., Stavropol 355017, Russian Federation

Engineer of the Department of
Physical Electronics, Physics and Technology Faculty,
North Caucasian Federal University, (Stavropol, Russian
Federation).

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Published
2022-08-26
How to Cite
Devitsky, O. V., Zakharov, A. A., Lunin, L. S., Sysoev, I. A., Pashchenko, A. S., Vakalov, D. S., & Chapura, O. M. (2022). Influence of magnetron sputtering conditions on the structure and surface morphology of InxGa1–xAs thin films on a GaAs (100) substrate. Kondensirovannye Sredy I Mezhfaznye Granitsy = Condensed Matter and Interphases, 24(3), 300-305. https://doi.org/10.17308/kcmf.2022.24/9851
Section
Original articles