Influence of oxygen on the formation of epitaxial erbium silicide film on (111) Si

Epitaxial ErSi2-x thin films have been grown by the reactive deposition epitaxy technique on [111]Si substrate at a pressure of similar to 10(-8) Torr in a controlled atmosphere. A close relation between the O partial pressure during deposition and the crystalline quality of the silicide film has been observed and good quality epitaxial ErSi2-x layers have been obtained if O is incorporated in the silicide layer at a concentration of similar to 7 at. %.