Deposition of crystalline Ge nanoparticle films by high-pressure RF magnetron sputtering method

We report here deposition of crystalline Ge nanoparticle films using a radio frequency magnetron sputtering method in argon and hydrogen gas mixture under a high pressure condition. The size of Ge nanoparticles is deduced to be 6.3-6.4 nm from the peak frequency shift of Raman spectra. Raman and X-ray diffraction spectra show that the films are crystalline. The film crystallinity strongly depends on substrate temperature (Ts). Highly crystalline Ge nanoparticle films are successfully fabricated at Ts 180°C.