DEPOSITION OF AlN AND OXIDIZED AlN THIN-FILMS BY REACTIVE SPUTTERING: CORRELATION BETWEEN FILM GROWTH AND DEPOSITION PARAMETERS

Abstract

A set of AlN films were deposited by reactive direct current (DC) magnetron sputtering. Films were analyzed with X-ray diffraction and Auger Electron Spectroscopy (AES). There is a correlation between deposition parameters and crystal growth. Depending on the deposition parameters, films can present a hexagonal würzite (P6mm) or cubic zinc-blend (Fm3m) microstructure. Oxygen appears to induce on films a degree of amorphous growth and a distortion of the lattice parameters. For the film with cubic microstructure, AES transitions detected near the surface level at 56 eV and 66 eV were attributed to aluminum-oxide ( Al xOy), AlN , and metallic Al .

Comparison of anti-HER2 antibody immobilization using three different techniques on aluminum-aluminum nitride-aluminum thin films produced by radiofrequency sputtering

“…Various studies of AlN deposition on silicon substrates have been done before [27][28][29][30] and obtained highly oriented AlN. Garcia-Mendez et al 31 obtained polycrystalline growth on their deposits using glass as the substrate, as we obtained in these assays on silicon. This may be caused by the presence of oxygen.…”

“…The presence of oxidized products in large amounts has been reported previously during growth of AlN films by sputtering. 26 Oxygen appears to induce a degree of amorphous growth on the film and a distortion of the lattice parameters, 31 inducing defects in the growth of AlN layers and having as a consequence, the amorphization of AlN films.…”

Fabrication and Characterization of Oxygenated AlN/4H-SiC Heterojunction Diodes

“…From the aspect of thermo-dynamical data, it can be inferred that Al–O bonds are likely to have formed. This is because ∆G(Al 2 O 3 ) = −1480 KJ/mol and ∆G(AlN) = −253 KJ/mol [ 24 ]. During the film fabrication, residual oxygen gas in the chamber can react easily with aluminum, forming Al X O Y compounds.…”