Physical vapor deposition of antimony sulpho-iodide (SbSI) thin films and their properties

The objective of this work is to fabricate thin films of antimony sulfo-iodide (SbSI) semiconductor ferroelectric and to evaluate its properties. SbSI films (2-4 /spl mu/m thick) have been fabricated on Pt/Ta/SiO/sub 2//Si structures by physical vapor transport in evacuated sealed ampoules. The preferred orientation of these films was (311) as indicated by powder XRD patterns and the films were close to stoichiometric as revealed by EDS analysis. SEM micrograph reveals random orientation of needle like crystallites throughout the surface of the film. A maximum dielectric constant of 500 was measured at a Curie temperature of 21/spl deg/C.