Using rapid thermal annealing to improve epitaxial CaF(2)/CoSi (2)/Si(111) structures.

We have extended our studies of epitaxial insulator-metal- semiconductor heterostructures composed of CaF(2) and CoSi (2) layers grown on Si(111) structures to cover a broader range of growth conditions. We find that rapid thermal annealing plays a crucial role in optimizing the epitaxial quality of the CaF(2) layer over the entire range of conditions studied. The chemical stability of the fluoride layer is also enhanced by the annealing process.