Temperature dependence of the properties of heteroepitaxial Y₂O₃ films grown on Si by ion assisted evaporation

The temperature dependence of the crystallinity, strain, and morphological characteristics of the epitaxial Y₂O₃ films grown on Si(111) by ion assisted evaporation is experimentally investigated. Each characteristic depends on a substrate temperature. In the temperature range 500-600 °C, the crystallinity was greatly improved, and the surface roughness was decreased drastically. On the other hand, in the temperature range 600-700 °C, the film was more compressed, and the density was increased. The crystallinity and the roughness at the interface region were worse than that at the surface region, so that the film stress existed mainly at the interface region.