Production and characterization of multilayer KCl:LiF thin films on glass

Abstract

Alkali halide films containing color centers have important applications in information storage, lithography, radiation dosimetry, and solid state lasers. KCl:LiF multilayers have been grown by thermal evaporation on glass substrates at p<10−4 Pa under continuous monitoring of the substrate temperature (Ts=30–350 °C) and deposition rate (Vd=0.3–0.7 nm/s). Optically active point defects have been produced by low energy (3 keV) electron irradiation in these thin layers of dielectric materials. The characterization of the samples has been performed using depth profile x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy for the profile composition, x-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy for the structural analysis, and optical absorption for defect formation. At substrate temperatures ranging from 30 to 350 °C the LiF and KCl layers grow with (200) crystallite planes parallel to the substrate surface.