Formation of Al-nitride films at room temperature by nitrogen ion implantation into aluminum

Abstract

A new method is demonstrated for the preparation of thin aluminum nitride layers using the direct nitridation aluminum by low-energy nitrogen ion implantation in the ion energy range 0.5-5 keV. The Al-nitride films were obtained at room temperature without any thermal annealing. For the first time Al-nitride was studied with Auger electron spectroscopy (AES) and low-energy electron-loss spectroscopy (ELS) and the corresponding spectra, together with those of Al and Al2O3, are presented. An electron energy-level scheme for Al-nitride was derived from the AlLvv Auger spectra, from the valence electron excitation spectra, and from the Al(2p) and N(ls) core electron excitation spectra measured by ELS.

The growth and properties of Al and AlN films on GaN(0001)–(1×1)

“…Figure 7 shows surface-sensitive ELS data for AlN/GaN. Similar results for AlN films, formed by N ϩ ion implantation in Al metal 17,19,29 or by sputter deposition on Si͑110͒, 26 have been reported and analyzed previously. For the purpose of FIG.…”

“…Given the small energy in comparison to the band gap ͑E g ϭ6.2 eV͒ and the fact that the loss peak is sample-͑i.e., thickness-͒ dependent, we speculate that a defect is involved. Given that our AlN growth depends on N-atom diffusion from the GaN substrate, the increase in peak intensity with AlN thickness further suggests that the defect is related in some way to a deficiency of N. This would account for the absence of this feature in earlier data, 17,19,26,29 obtained for thick AlN films grown under more nearly stoichiometric conditions. The energy levels of defects in AlN have been discussed by Tansley and Egan, 39 and the ELS feature could correspond in energy to excitation of either an Al or a N antisite defect.…”

Electron spectroscopy of single-phase (Al,B)N films

“…5,8 The Al KL 23 L 23 line is placed in the range of the literature values of 1388.9-1393 eV. 8,12,14 The XAES B KLL transitions cannot be evaluated due to their low intensity in consequence of the low ionization cross-sections of boron with Al K˛. 15 In Fig.…”

Magnetron Sputtering of Aluminium Nitride Thin Films for Thermal Management

“…The synthesis of aluminium nitride (AlN) is a subject of intensive studies due to its piezoelectric, thermal, chemical, dielectric and semiconducting properties 1,2. Such properties make AlN thin films promising candidates for numerous applications in optics, microelectronics (electrical insulator for III–V semi conductors), photonics (filter, Bragg reflector…),3 acoustics (Bulk Acoustic Wave filters), opto‐electronics (Ultra‐Violet Light Emitting Diode) or for thermal dissipation 4,5…”