<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">Antimony is a promising material for the fabrication of photodetectors. This study deals with the growth of a photosensitive thin film by the physical vapor deposition (PVD) of antimony onto mica surface in a furnace tube. The geometry of the grown structures was studied via scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) and elemental diffraction analysis. XRD peaks of the antimony film grown on mica mostly matched with JCPDF Card. The formation of rhombohedral crystal structures in the film was further confirmed by SEM micrographs and chemical composition analysis. The Hall measurements revealed good electrical conductivity of the film with bulk carrier concentration of the order of 1022 Ω·cm-3 and mobility of 9.034 cm2/Vs. The grown film was successfully tested for radiation detection. The photoresponse of the film was evaluated using its current-voltage characteristics. These investigations revealed that the photosensitivity of the antimony film was 20 times higher than that of crystalline germanium.</abstract>

Antimony is a promising material for the fabrication of photodetectors. This study deals with the growth of a photosensitive thin film by the physical vapor deposition (PVD) of antimony onto mica surface in a furnace tube. The geometry of the grown structures was studied via scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) and elemental diffraction analysis. XRD peaks of the antimony film grown on mica mostly matched with JCPDF Card. The formation of rhombohedral crystal structures in the film was further confirmed by SEM micrographs and chemical composition analysis. The Hall measurements revealed good electrical conductivity of the film with bulk carrier concentration of the order of 1022 Ω·cm-3 and mobility of 9.034 cm2/Vs. The grown film was successfully tested for radiation detection. The photoresponse of the film was evaluated using its current-voltage characteristics. These investigations revealed that the photosensitivity of the antimony film was 20 times higher than that of crystalline germanium.

Morphology and photoresponse of crystalline antimony film grown on mica by physical vapor deposition

University of Electronics Science and Technology of China

State Key Laboratory of Electronic Thin Films and Integrated Devices, School of Microelectronics and Solid-State Electronics

University of Electronic Science and Technology of China

Materials Science-Poland

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

Antimony is a promising material for the fabrication of photodetectors. This study deals with the growth of a photosensitive thin film by the physical vapor...

Time [min]	1	5	8	13	18	23	33	46	66	71	76	81	86	91	160
Temp. [°C]	300	450	600	770	900	900	900	900	900	900	900	800	700	600	300
Pressure 0.1 Pa	1.4	1.4	1.4	1.4	1.4 GFC* GFC: Growth Flow Condition	1.4	1.0	1.0	8.6	8.6	7.4	7.4	7.4	8.6	1.4

Morphology and photoresponse of crystalline antimony film grown on mica by physical vapor deposition

Article Category: Research Article

Published Online: Sep 12, 2016

Page range: 591 - 596

Received: Dec 01, 2016

Accepted: Jul 03, 2016

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/msp-2016-0084

Keywords
vapor solid growth, photodetectors, antimony thin film, rhombohedral mica

© 2016 Muhammad Shafa et al., published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

Fig. 1

Fig. 2

Fig. 3

Fig. 4

Fig. 5

Fig. 6

Fig. 7

Summary of the growth conditions and vapor concentration in furnace tube of PVD reactor (Source temperature 900 °C, growth temperature 441 °C, source before deposition: 0.1044 g, after deposition: 0.000 g).

Morphology and photoresponse of crystalline antimony film grown on mica by physical vapor deposition

Article Category: Research Article

Published Online: Sep 12, 2016

Page range: 591 - 596

Received: Dec 01, 2016

Accepted: Jul 03, 2016

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/msp-2016-0084

Keywordsvapor solid growth, photodetectors, antimony thin film, rhombohedral mica

© 2016 Muhammad Shafa et al., published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

Fig. 1

Fig. 2

Fig. 3

Fig. 4

Fig. 5

Fig. 6

Fig. 7

Summary of the growth conditions and vapor concentration in furnace tube of PVD reactor (Source temperature 900 °C, growth temperature 441 °C, source before deposition: 0.1044 g, after deposition: 0.000 g).

Keywords
vapor solid growth, photodetectors, antimony thin film, rhombohedral mica