Low-temperature epitaxy of silicon by electron beam evaporation

In this paper we report on homoepitaxial growth of thin Si 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 show a dependence on Ts and on the substrate orientation. To determine the structural quality of the films in more detail Secco etch experiments were carried out. 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 Aluminum-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 considerably higher density of extended defects is revealed by Secco etch experiments.