Deposition of AgGaTe₂ on sapphire substrates by closed space sublimation

AgGaTe₂ layers were grown on a-plane sapphire substrates by a closed space sublimation method. Various samples were prepared with varied source temperature, holding time and temperature differential. The variation of source temperature was used primarily to improve the stoichiometry of the film. Grown films were evaluated by XRD measurements. AgGaTe₂ layers were grown only at low source temperature (about 780 °C), and to have strong preference for the (103) orientation. By using the pole figure, it is possible to study the orientation of the film, and the substrate surface arrangement has resulted in this unique relationship.