Pulsed laser deposition of epitaxial silicon/h-Pr2O3/silicon heterostructures

Epitaxial Si/praseodymium oxide/Si heterostructures were grown in situ on (111) oriented Si substrates using pulsed laser deposition. Growth of the oxide layer under oxygen deficient conditions resulted in hexagonal Pr2O3 (h-Pr2O3) films which displayed a (001)Pr2O3∥(111)Si, [110]Pr2O3∥[11̄0]Si orientation and x-ray rocking curve full width at half-maximum values of ∼0.8°. The top Si layer grew epitaxially on the oxide film with a twinned (111)Si∥(001)Pr2O3 orientation. The surface structure of both oxide and semiconductor layers was investigated in situ using reflection high energy electron diffraction, and the resulting films were characterized using x-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy.