Molecular-beam epitaxy of CrSi2 on Si(111)

The growth of CrSi2 on Si(111) in a commercial MBE system with a base pressure in the low 10 to the -11th torr range is reported. CrSi2 layers grown on Si(111) exhibit a strong tendency to form islands. Two particular epitaxial relationships are identified. Thick (210 nm) layers have been grown by four different techniques, with best results obtained by codepositing Cr and Si at elevated temperature. The grain size is observed to increase with substrate temperature, reaching 1-2 microns in a layer deposited at 825 C.