Reduction of carrier concentrations of β-FeSi2 films by atomic hydrogen-assisted molecular beam epitaxy

Abstract

We have grown intentionally undoped β-FeSi2 thin films on Si(111) substrates by atomic hydrogen-assisted molecular beam epitaxy. The conductivity of β-FeSi2 films changed from p to n-type, and the carrier concentration decreased drastically from the order of 1019 to that of 1016 cm-3. These results show that the atomic hydrogen played an important role to decrease the number of Si vacancies acting as acceptors. © 2010 Published by Elsevier B.V.