ABSTRACTUsing in situ, real-time reflection high energy electron diffraction (RHEED), we have measured the evolution of Ge (001) surface morphology during simultaneous molecular beam epitaxy and Ar ion beam bombardment. Surprisingly, low-energy Ar ions during growth tend to smoothen the surface. Bombardment by the ion beam without growth roughens the surface, but the surface can be reversibly smoothened by restoring the growth beam. We have measured the effect of such “ion beam growth smoothening” above and below the critical temperature for intrinsic growth roughening. At all measured growth temperatures the surface initially smoothens, but below the critical roughening temperature the final surface morphology is rough whereas above this temperature the final morphology is smooth.
Low Energy 500 eV Focused Argon Ion Beam Provided by Multi-Ions Species Plasma FIB for Material Science Sample Preparations