Epitaxial growth of InSb on sapphire by rf sputtering

InSb films have been deposited directly by rf sputtering on sapphire substrates. X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy data are presented to show that the InSb layer on sapphire (0001) is epitaxial and grows with (111) parallel to the substrate surface. Optical absorption studies of the epitaxial film also reveal distinct spectral features which resemble these from bulk, single-crystal InSb.