Epitaxial crystal growth by sputter deposition: Applications to semiconductors. Part I

Abstract

The process of sputtering may be defined as the ejection of target particles due to the impingement of energetic projectile particles. The use of sputtered species as source material to deposit thin films was first reported in the literature in 1852¹ and has since enjoyed several periods of scientific and commercial interest interspersed with periods of disrepute. However, it is only recently that sufficient understanding of the complex processes occurring during, and simultaneously with. ion bombardment of solid surfaces has developed to result in the ability to reproducably and controllably use sputter deposition to grow high quality single crystal semiconducting thin films. The evolution of the branch of science concerned with ion‐surface interactions has been facilitated by the parallel development of ultra high vacuum technology and highly sensitive microanalytic techniques for identifying the state of scattered particles, sputtered species, and implanted material.