Low temperature epitaxy of silicon by electron beam evaporation

In this paper we report on homoepitaxial growth of Si thin films at substrate temperatures Ts 500 650 C under non ultra high vacuum conditions by using electron beam evaporation. Si films were grown at high deposition rates on monocrystalline Si wafers with 100 , 110 and 111 orientations. The ultra violet visible reflectance spectra of the films exhibit a dependence on Ts and on substrate orientation. To determine the structural quality of the films in more detail Secco etch experiments were applied. No etch pits were found on the films grown on 100 oriented wafers. However, on films grown on 110 and 111 oriented wafers different types of etch pits could be detected. Films were also grown on polycrystalline silicon poly Si seed layers prepared by an aluminium induced crystallisation AIC process on glass substrates. Electron Backscattering Diffraction EBSD shows that the film growth proceeds epitaxially on the grains of the seed layer. But a considerable higher density of extended defects is decorated by Secco etch experiment