Stability of rf-sputtered aluminum oxide

Abstract

The chemical and thermal-mechanical stability of sputtered aluminum oxide films are examined. Sputtered alumina is quite soluble in bases and phosphate-containing solutions. Carbon dioxide was detected in the films by infrared spectroscopy and by mass spectroscopy during thermal gravimetric analysis; the presence of CO2 is likely due to adsorption on the sputtered film. Heating and cooling of sputtered alumina results in an irreversible expansion of the film. The anomalous expansion is cumulative with additional higher temperature heating, similar to a thermal ratchet effect, until a temperature of 850°C is reached. At temperatures above 850°C rapid argon evolution from the sputtered film occurs and is accompanied by film contraction.

Stress hysteresis during thermal cycling of plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposited silicon oxide films

“…A key element is the in situ measurement of the SiO 2 film-stress variation as a function of temperature, leading to an ability to deconvolute the separate contributions to the stress from thermal expansion mismatch between the film and substrate ͑thermal stress͒, and from structural or density mismatches between the film and substrate ͑athermal stress͒. Not only does this contribute to the characterization of the most common ILD, but it provides insight into the responses of other CVD generated ILD materials ͑SiN x and fluorosilicate glass͒, [8][9][10][11] physical vapor deposited materials (AlO x ), 12 and spin-on glass materials. 13 In particular, the low-k silsesquioxane-based materials are expected to show similar stress hysteresis and balance between thermal and athermal stress, as their Si-O-Si backbones are modified on thermal cycling.…”

Properties of radio frequency–sputtered alumina films on flat and grooved substrates

“…[7][8][9]22 Argon content is agreed to be high when negative substrate bias is applied, but at zero bias some authors report low argon contents 7 while others find appreciable incorporation. They have a dense, compressively stressed structure, close to stoichiometric, with up to a few atomic percent of included argon.…”

“…Alumina films have been made by a wide range of techniques, including anodization, plasma anodization, chemical vapor deposition, solgel methods, molecular beam epitaxy, reactive evaporation, dc magnetron 1-4 reactive sputtering, and rf [5][6][7][8][9][10][11] and rf magnetron 12,13 sputtering in an inert or reactive gas plasma. Alumina films have been made by a wide range of techniques, including anodization, plasma anodization, chemical vapor deposition, solgel methods, molecular beam epitaxy, reactive evaporation, dc magnetron 1-4 reactive sputtering, and rf [5][6][7][8][9][10][11] and rf magnetron 12,13 sputtering in an inert or reactive gas plasma.…”

Stability analysis of Beck's column over a fractional-order hereditary foundation

“…Stability analysis of a cantilevered column subjected to constant intensity follower force applied to its free end is known as Beck's problem [1]. Since the first introduction [2], the problem has been investigated by several authors [3,4] for different engineering application [5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16]. Models of follower agencies involves rocket thrust [17,18], MEMS [19], spine biomechanical problems [20,21], civil engineering application.…”