MBE

Systems for Quality Control and Characterisation of MBE Processes

Molecular beam epitaxy takes place in high vacuum or ultra-high vacuum. The most important aspect of MBE is the deposition rate (less than 50 nm/minute) that allows the films to grow epitaxially, that is the growth of a thin layer on the surface of a crystal so that the layer has the same structure as the underlying crystal.

The deposition rates require an ultra high vacuum to achieve the same impurity levels as other deposition techniques.

The absence of carrier gases as well as the ultra high vacuum environment of the MBE technique produces the highest achievable purity of the grown films.