Experimental results illustrating the effect of molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) conditions on structure and properties of silicon on sapphire (SOS) layers are reported in this paper. These results have been obtained using atomic force microscopy and reflected high energy electron diffraction. We also show that SOS study using the method of scanning confocal Raman spectroscopy allows one to reveal the depth of the layer defects distribution heterogeneity, and this technique is recommended as the nondestructive method of studying the crystalline structure of the layers. The optimum deposition temperature for producing perfect silicon layers with a thickness of 500 nm or less is 700 °С.

1. Dubbelday, W. B. Residual strain and defects in solid phase epitaxial regrown Si and SiGe on sapphire and device application / W. B. Dubbelday // Diss. … PhD in Electrical engineering. — San Diego (USA), 1998. — 165 p.
2. Twig, M. E. Elimination of microtwins in silicon on sapphire by molecular beam epitaxy / M. E. Twig, E. D. Richmond, J. G. Pellegrino // Appl. Phys. Lett. — 1989. — V. 54, N 18. — P. 1766—1768.
3. Pavlov, D. A. Formirovanie nanokristallicheskogo kremniya na sapfire metodom molekulyarno—luchevoy epitaksii / D. A. Pavlov, P. A. SHilyaev, E. V. Korotkov, N. O. Krivulin // Pis'ma v ZHTF. — 2010. — T. 36, vyp. 12. — S. 15—22.
4. Abrahams, M. S. Early growth of silicon on sapphire. 1. Transmission electron microscopy / M. S. Abrahams, C. J. Buiocchi, R. T. Smith, J. F. Corboy, J. Blanc, G. W. Cullen // J. Appl. Phys. — 1976. — V. 47, N 12. — P. 5139—5150.
5. SHilyaev, P. A. Molekulyarno—luchevoe osazhdenie sverkhtonkikh sloev kremniya na sapfire / P. A. SHilyaev, D. A. Pavlov, E. V. Korotkov, M. V. Treushnikov // Izv. vuzov. Materialy elektron. tekhniki. — 2008. — № 2. — S. 62—66.
6. Golubev, V. G. Spektry ramanovskogo rasseyaniya i elektroprovodnost' tonkikh plenok kremniya so smeshannym amorfno—nanokristallicheskim fazovym sostavom: opredelenie ob"emnoy doli nanokristallicheskoy fazy / V. G. Golubev, V. YU. Davydov, A. V. Medvedev, A. B. Pevtsov, N. A. Feoktistov // Fizika tverdogo tela. — 1997. — T. 39, vyp. 8. — S. 1348—1352.
7. Richter, H. The one phonon spectrum in microcrystalline silicon / H. Richter, Z. P. Wang, L. Ley // Solid State Commun. — 1981. — V. 39. — P. 625—629.