Calcium fluoride films with 2–10 nm thickness on Silicon-(111): growth, diagnostics, study of the through current transport

Epitaxial calcium fluoride (CaF$_2$) layers with a nominal thickness up to 10 nm on the (111)-oriented Silicon (Si) are obtained. Surface topographies of the fluoride films are recorded and the current-voltage characteristics of the Au/CaF$_2$/Si structures are studied. On a qualitative level, these structures exhibited all the features usual for metal-insulator-semiconductor systems. The current-voltage curves of the samples were reproduced by modeling considering a finite (0.1–1 nm) value of the standard thickness deviation of the dielectric CaF$_2$ film.