Amorphous, silicide, and crystalline Fe films grown on Si(001) by radio-frequency magnetron sputtering

Abstract

The microstructure of the amorphous, silicide, and crystalline Fe films grown on Si(001) substrates by a radio-frequency (rf) magnetron on sputtering was studied in synchrotron x-ray scattering experiments. During the growth, iron-silicide interlayers were always formed. The silicide interlayer became crystalline beta-FeSi2 at high rf power (less than or equal to 20 W/cm(2)) and at the substrate temperature of 100 degrees C, The formation of the beta-FeSi2 was also promoted by postannealing to 300 degrees C. The Fe films grown on top of the silicide interlayer were amorphous at low substrate temperatures (less than or equal to 100 degrees C), It became crystalline only at high substrate temperature (300 degrees C) with the low rf power of 2 W/cm(2). The crystalline Fe film was nonepitaxial but had the [111] preferred orientation.