Influence of ion-plasma treatment on the surface morphology of epitaxial lead-tin telluride films

Abstract The paper discusses the physical aspects of surface modification of Pb 1-x Sn x Te (x = 0.00-0.80) epitaxial films during ion-plasma treatment in argon plasma. Lead–tin telluride films 1−2 μm thick were grown on (111) BaF 2 substrates by molecular beam epitaxy. The ion-plasma treatment of the samples was carried out in a high-density low-pressure radio frequency (RF) inductively coupled plasma at an ion energy of 75 eV. The duration of the process is 240 s. The evolution of the surface morphology of the films and the formation of micro- and nanostructures at different ratios of lead and tin are studied.