Single-phase β-FeSi2 thin films prepared on Si wafer by femtosecond laser ablation and its photoluminescence at room temperature

Single-phase β-FeSi2 thin films were prepared on Si(100) and Si(111) wafers by using femtosecond laser deposition with a FeSi2 alloy target for the first time. X-ray diffraction (XRD), field scanning electron microscopy (FSEM), scanning probe microscopy (SPM), electron backscattered diffraction pattern (EBSD), and Fourier-transform Raman infrared spectroscopy (FTRIS) were used to characterize the structure, composition, and properties of the β-FeSi2/Si films. The orientation of β-FeSi2 grains was found to depend on the orientation of the Si substrates, and photoluminescence at wavelength of 1.53 μm was observed from the single-phase β-FeSi2/Si thin film at room temperature (20 °C).