Epitaxial Growth of $Y_2O_3$ films by Ion Beam Assisted Deposition

High quality epitaxial Y2O3 thin films were prepared on Si(111) and (001) substaretes by using ion beam assisted deposition. As a substrate, clean and chemically oxidized Si wafers were used and the effects of surface state on the film crystallinity were investigated. The crystalline quality of the films were estimated by x-ray scattering, rutherford backscattering spectroscopy/channeling, and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM). The interaction between Y and Si atoms interfere the nucleation of Y2O3 at the initial growth stage, it could be suppressed by the interface SiO2 layer. Therefore, SiO2 layer of the 4-6 layers, which have been known for hindering the crystal growth, could rather enhance the nucleation of the Y2O3 , and the high quality epitaxial film could be grown successfully. Electrical properties of Y2O3 films on Si(001) were measured by C-V and I-V, which revealed that the oxide trap charge density of the film was 1.8$\times$10-8C/$\textrm{cm}^2$ and the breakdown field strength was about 10MV/cm.