RHEED Study of the Texture in Polycrystalline Films of Magnetite Grown on Oxidized Silicon Surface

Polycrystalline films of magnetite (Fe3O4) with thickness of 75 nm were grown on SiO2/Si (001) surface by reactive deposition of Fe in O2 atmosphere. The growth of Fe3O4 films was conducted with the different oxygen pressures. The structure of films was monitored by reflection high-energy electron diffraction (RHEED) during the film growth. It was found that there is a range of oxygen pressure in which the growth of only textured Fe3O4 film takes place. Reactive deposition of Fe at lower oxygen pressure results in a growth of Fe3O4 film without a texture. In contrast at the deposition with higher oxygen pressure the texture in the Fe3O4 film remains but the appearance of hematite (α-Fe2O3) is observed.