Surface topographic study of chalcogenide thin films of GexSb(As)₄₀-xS₅₀Te₁₀ glasses

M Anastasescu; M Gartner; A Szekeres; V Pamukchieva

doi:10.1016/j.micron.2013.12.002

Surface topographic study of chalcogenide thin films of GexSb(As)₄₀-xS₅₀Te₁₀ glasses

Micron. 2014 Apr:59:1-7. doi: 10.1016/j.micron.2013.12.002. Epub 2013 Dec 18.

Authors

M Anastasescu¹, M Gartner², A Szekeres³, V Pamukchieva³

Affiliations

¹ Institute of Physical Chemistry, Romanian Academy of Sciences, Spl. Independentei 202, 060021 Bucharest, Romania. Electronic address: manastasescu@icf.ro.
² Institute of Physical Chemistry, Romanian Academy of Sciences, Spl. Independentei 202, 060021 Bucharest, Romania.
³ Institute of Solid State Physics, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, 72 Tzarigradsko Chaussee, 1784 Sofia, Bulgaria.

PMID: 24530358
DOI: 10.1016/j.micron.2013.12.002

Abstract

The surface topography and fractal properties of GexSb(As)40-xS50Te10 (x=10, 20, 27 at.%) films, evaporated onto glass substrates, have been studied by atomic force microscopic imaging at different scales. The surface of the chalcogenide films is smooth (<5 nm roughness), isotropic and having some particular differences in texture. All films are self-similar with Mean Fractal Dimension in the range of 2.25-2.63. The films with GexSb40-xS50Te10 composition are more uniform in terms of surface morphology (grains structure) than those with GexAs40-xS50Te10 composition for which the film surface exhibits a superimposed structure of large particles at x=10 and 20 at.%.

Keywords: Atomic force microscopy; Chalcogenide thin films; Fractal analysis; Surface topography.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't