Porous Silicon: A Buffer Layer for PbS Heteroepitaxy

Abstract

In the present work, we report on the heteroepitaxial growth of PbS on porous silicon (PS). Epitaxial PbS films were grown by MBE on the surface of PS formed on the n+-type silicon (111) substrate. The films were comparable with films grown on BaF2 substrates. Beneficial influence of a PS buffer layer on the structure and properties of PbS epitaxial films was supported by implementation of sensitive Schottky-barrier photodiodes fabricated in these films.