Hetero-Epitaxial Growth of AlN Deposited by DC Magnetron Sputtering on Si(111) Using a AlN Buffer Layer

Abstract

This paper reports the effect of Silicon substrate orientation and Aluminum nitride buffer layer deposited by molecular beam epitaxy on the growth of aluminum nitride thin films deposited by a DC magnetron sputtering technique at low temperatures. The structural analysis has revealed a strong (0001) fiber texture for both Si(100) and (111) substrates, and a hetero-epitaxial growth on a AlN buffer layer, which is only a few nanometers in size, grown by MBE onthe Si(111) substrate. SEM images and XRD characterization have shown an enhancement in AlN crystallinity. Raman spectroscopy indicated that the AlN film was relaxed when it deposited on Si(111), in compression on Si(100) and under tension on a AlN buffer layer grown by MBE/Si(111) substrates, respectively. The interface between Si(111) and AlN grown by MBE is abrupt and well defined, contrary to the interface between AlN deposited using PVD and AlN grown by MBE. Nevertheless, AlN hetero-epitaxial growth was obtained at a low temperature (<250 °C).

The Feasibility of Tungsten-Doped VO2 Films on Soda-Lime Glass with Low Thermal Budget by High Density Plasma Source for Smart Windows

“…However, only the ring-like circle has been observed at the doping powers of 5 W and 10 W. This can be explained that the polycrystalline thin film with random orientation in the in-plane direction should exhibit a ring-like pole figure, which indicates that no preferred in-plane orientation is suggested. 39 At the samples with high doping power of 15 W, the ring-like circle almost disappears, which is explicit that the crystallization of films changes to amorphous or nano-crystalline as discussed previously in XRD patterns of Fig. 3.…”

Magnetron Sputter Grown AlN Nanostructures with Giant Piezoelectric Response toward Energy Generation

“…It allows for low-temperature and high-rate growth of well-oriented films on different types of substrates; it provides a high reproducibility and can be scaled up to the level of mass production. 17 Since sputter-deposited AlN films typically have columnar morphologies, 19,20 utilization of glancing angle deposition (GLAD) brings an opportunity to separate the columns, i.e., to convert them into nanorods or similar nanostructures. GLAD is already a well-developed approach which can be used in line with different physical vapor deposition methods including magnetron sputtering.…”

“…Since sputter-deposited AlN films typically have columnar morphologies, , utilization of glancing angle deposition (GLAD) brings an opportunity to separate the columns, i.e., to convert them into nanorods or similar nanostructures. GLAD is already a well-developed approach which can be used in line with different physical vapor deposition methods including magnetron sputtering. − At the nucleation stage, the material forms three-dimensional islands on the surface and the following growth occurs at a preferential orientation because the regions behind the nucleated islands are shadowed from the flux of atoms incoming at an oblique direction with respect to the surface.…”

Atomic layer deposited high quality AlN thin films for efficient thermal management

“…For instance, due to defects and impurities in AlN crystals which bring about unexpected scattering at high temperatures, the actual thermal conductivities of AlN thin lms are considerably lower than the theoretical value (320 W m −1 K −1 ). Various techniques, such as vacuum evaporation, 16,17 magnetron sputtering, 18,19 metalorganic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) [20][21][22] and molecular beam epitaxy, 23,24 have been reported to synthesize AlN lms with their comparative advantages. Still, there is demand for a high quality AlN lm synthesis method that is more controllable, cost-effective and requires milder preparation conditions rather than harsh environments such as extremely high vacuum and temperature.…”