Journal of Vacuum Science & Technology A, Vol.17, No.2, 338-341, 1999
Synthesis and characterization of In-Tl-Sb compounds grown by molecular beam epitaxy
The growth of TlSb and InTlSb compounds has been investigated by molecular beam epitaxy. Tl and Sb were found to produce a two phase mixture of elemental Sb and a Tl rich Tl7Sb2 phase. This two phase mixture was the dominant phase produced throughout a variety of substrate temperatures which ranged from 200 to 425 degrees C. Varying the V/III ratio did not affect the phases produced but rather, only affected the amount of excess Sb found at the surface. The composition of the Tl7Sb2 phase was determined by electron moicroprobe analysis and confirmed with x-ray diffraction (XRD). XRD also indicated that the Tl7Sb2 phase exists in a complex multiatom per unit cell CsCl structure. Similar to the binary TlSb system, attempts to grow ternary InTlSb did not produce a single phase material. In this case a three phase mixture of InSb, elemental Sb, and Tl7Sb2 was produced throughout a range of growth conditions.