Reaction and regrowth control of CeO2 on Si(111) surface for the silicon-on-insulator structure

Abstract
The interface structure of CeO2/Si(111) grown by laser ablation in ultrahigh vacuum was investigated by, reflection high‐energy electron diffraction (RHEED), high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), and Auger electron spectroscopy (AES). The deposited film was single‐crystalline CeO2. However, during the deposition, a reaction between CeO2 and Si occurred at the interface, that resulted in the formation of an oxygen deficient amorphous CeO2−x and SiO2 layer. Post annealing in oxygen atmosphere caused the regrowth of crystalline CeO2 from CeO2−x and increased of the SiO2 thickness. The modified structure of CeO2/SiO2/Si is expected to be useful as a silicon‐on‐insulator structure since it maintains the desirable SiO2/Si interface followed by a single‐crystal insulating film lattice‐matched to Si.