Preparation and Characterization of High Quality Bi1-xSbx Thin Films: A Sputtering Deposition Approach

TL;DR

This paper reports on the successful preparation of high-quality Bi1-xSbx thin films with controlled composition using sputtering, highlighting their structural properties and potential for exploring topological phases.

Contribution

It introduces a sputtering deposition method to produce high-quality Bi1-xSbx thin films with tunable composition and detailed analysis of their structural characteristics.

Findings

High-quality, uniform Bi1-xSbx films were achieved.

Crystalline texture depends on composition and deposition temperature.

Films exhibit preferential growth direction.

Abstract

The Bi1-xSbx was the first 3D topological insulator found in nature. It presents a complex electronic structure with topological to trivial transition and a semimetallic to semiconductor transition, both achieved by changing the x fraction of Sb. The complex nature of this system may lead to several electronic and topological phases in matter, making it a promising quantum material. Here, we focused on preparing very high-quality thin films samples of Bi1-xSbx with varying fraction of x using the Co-deposition Magnetron Sputtering technique. Our results demonstrate that high-quality samples, with compact and uniform morphology, presenting a preferential direction of growth, can be obtained over SiO2 substrate. Our findings suggest a dependence between the thin films crystalline texture and the composition of the samples, as well as the deposition temperature.