Effect of Heat Treatment on the Microstructures and Electrical Properties of Insb Thin Films

Abstract

ABSTRACTPolycrystalline InSb thin films have been prepared by two-source thermal evaporation method. The as-deposited randomly oriented thin films develop (111) preferred orientation upon heat treatment of different maximum setting temperatures, T(max)s. Under different T(max)s, the elongate (111) grains rotate gradually the direction of the elongation respect to the thermally oxidized Si(100) substrate.The (111) preferred orientation has been seen from both cross-sectional TEM and X-ray diffraction patterns. The electrical mobility value of the thin film has been measured by the Van der Pauw′s method. A dramatic increase in the electrical mobility from few thousands, for the as-deposited film, to intermediate values of 15,000-30,000 cm2/v-s and the highest value of 36,000 cm2/v-s for thin films subjected to different T(max)s, can be correlated well to the corresponding microstruetures.