SEMICONDUCTOR MATERIALS

Cubic AlN thin film formation on quartz substrate by pulse laser deposition

Biju Zheng and Wen Hu

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 Corresponding author: Biju Zheng, Email: zhengbiju@gmail.com

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Abstract: Cubic AlN thin films were obtained on quartz substrate by pulse laser deposition in a nitrogen reactive atmosphere. A Nd-YAG laser with a wavelength of 1064 nm was used as the laser source. In order to study the influence of the process parameters on the deposited AlN film, the experiments were performed at various technique parameters of laser energy density from 70 to 260 J/cm2, substrate temperature from room temperature to 800℃ and nitrogen pressure from 0.1 to 50 Pa. X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy were applied to characterize the structure and surface morphology of the deposited AlN films. It was found that the structure of AlN films deposited in a vacuum is rocksalt under the condition of substrate temperature 600-800℃, nitrogen pressure 10-0.1 Pa and a moderate laser energy density (190 J/cm2). The high quality AlN film exhibited good optical property.

Key words: AlN thin filmpulsed laser depositionXPS



[1]
He H, Huang S, Wei X, et al. Interface characteristics of cubic AlN film on MgO (100) substrate. Vacuum, 2015, 119:99
[2]
Makimoto T, Kumakura K, Maeda M, et al. A new AlON buffer layer for RF-MBE growth of AlN on a sapphire substrate. J Crystal Growth, 2015, 425:138
[3]
Meng J, Liu X, Fu Z, et al. Thermal stability of AlN films prepared by ion beam assisted deposition. Appl Surf Sci, 2015, 347:109
[4]
Boo J H, Lee S B, Kim Y S, et al. Growth of AlN and GaNthin films on Si(100) using new single molecular precursors by MOCVD method. Phys Status Solidi A, 1999, 176(1):711
[5]
Zhang J X, Cheng H, Chen Y Z, et al. Growth of AlN films on Si (100) and Si (111) substrates by reactive magnetron sputtering. Surf Coat Technol, 2005, 198(1-3):68
[6]
Bakalova S, Szekeres A, Cziraki A, et al. Influence of in situ nitrogen pressure on crystallization of pulsed laser deposited AlN films. Appl Surf Sci, 2007, 253(19):8215
[7]
Setoyama M, Irie M, Ohara H, et al. Thermal stability of TiN/AlN super lattices. Thin Solid Films, 1999, 341(1/2):126
[8]
Saib S, Bouarissa N. Structural properties of AlN from first principles calculations. Eur Phys J B, 2005, 47(3):379
[9]
Mayrhofer P H, Hörling A, Karlsson L, et al. Self-organized nanostructures in the Ti-Al-N system. Appl Phys Lett, 2003, 83(10):2049
[10]
Inoue S, Okamoto K, Nakano T, et al. Epitaxial growth of AlN films on Rh ultraviolet mirrors. Appl Phys Lett, 2007, 91(13):131910
[11]
Vollstadt H. Electronic structure of high pressure phase of AlN. Proc Jpn Acad B, 1990, 66:7
[12]
Sudhir G S, Fujii H, Wong W S, et al. Pulsed laser deposition of aluminum nitride and gallium nitride thin films. Appl Surf Sci, 1998, 127(5):471
[13]
Kumar A, Chan H L, Weimer J J, et al. Structural characterization of pulsed laser-deposited AlN thin films on semiconductor substrates. Thin Solid Films, 1997, 308/309(10):406
[14]
Jagannadham K, Sharma A K, Wei Q, et al. Structural characteristics of AlN films deposited by pulsed laser deposition and reactive magnetron sputtering:a comparative study. J Vac Sci Technol A, 1998, 16(5):2804
[15]
Auner G W, Jin F, Naik V M, et al. Microstructure of low temperature grown AlN thin films on Si(111). J Appl Phys,1999, 85(11):7879
[16]
Heffelfinger J R, Medlin D L, Mccarty K F. On the initial stages of AlN thin-film growth onto (0001) oriented Al2O3 substrates by molecular beam epitaxy. J Appl Phys,1999, 85(1):466
[17]
Vollstädt H, Ito E, Akaishi M, et al. High pressure synthesis of rocksalt type of AlN. Proc Jpn Acad B,1990, 66:7
[18]
Takeuchi M, Shimizu H, Kajitani R, et al. Improvement of crystalline quality of N-polar AlN layers on c-plane sapphire by low-pressure flow-modulated MOCVD. J Cryst Growth, 2007, 298:336
[19]
Index to the powder diffraction file 2000. Published by Joint Committee on Powder Diffractions Standards
[20]
Mcguire G E, Schweitzer G K, Carlson T A. Study of core electron binding energies in some group Ⅲa, Ⅴb, and Ⅵb compounds. Inorg Chem, 1973, 12(10):2450
[21]
Liao H M, Sodhi R N S, Coyle T W. Surface composition of AlN powders studied by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and bremsstrahlung-excited Auger electron spectroscopy. J Vac Sci Technol A, 1993, 11:2681
[22]
Sánchez-López J C, Alcalá M D, Real C, et al. The use of X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy to characterize fine AlN powders submitted to mechanical attrition. Nanostruct Mater, 1999, 11(2):249
[23]
Messing G L, Hirano S, Hausner H. Ceramic powder science Ⅲ. American Ceramic Society, Westerville, OH, 1990
[24]
Bendavid A, Martin P, Netterfield R, et al. Kinder, Optical properties and stress of ion-assisted aluminum nitride thin films. Appl Opt, 1992, 31(31):6734
[25]
Martin J M, Vovelle L, Bou M. Chemistry of the interface between aluminum and polyethyleneterephtalate by XPS. Appl Surf Sci, 1991, 47:149
[26]
Shinde V R, Gujar T P, Lokhande C D, et al. Mn doped and undopedZnO films:a comparative structural, optical and electrical properties study. Mater Chem Phys, 2006, 96(2/3):326
[27]
Gadennea M, Plona J, Gadenne P. Optical properties of AlN thin films correlated with sputtering conditions. Thin Solid Films, 1998, 333:251
Fig. 1.  XRD patterns obtained from AlN films deposited at a substrate temperature of 600 ℃, nitrogen pressure of 10 Pa and various laser energy densities.

Fig. 2.  Morphology of AlN films deposited at a nitrogen pressure of 10 Pa, substrate temperature of 600 ℃ and laser energy density: (a) 150 J/cm2, (b) 260 J/cm2.

Fig. 3.  XRD patterns obtained from AlN films deposited at nitrogen pressure of 10 Pa, laser energy density of 190 J/cm2 and various substrate temperatures.

Fig. 4.  Morphology of AlN films deposited at nitrogen pressure of 10 Pa, laser energy density of 190 J/cm2, and substrate temperature at (a) 200 ℃, (b) 400 ℃, (c) 600 ℃, (d) 800 ℃.

Fig. 5.  XRD patterns obtained from AlN films deposited at a substrate temperature of 600 ℃, laser energy density of 190 J/cm2 and various nitrogen pressures.

Fig. 6.  (Color online) The XPS spectra of (a) Al2p, (b) N1s, (c) O1s and (d) C1s core levels of the as grown AlN films (experimental peaks are in dots, simulated peaks are in dash lines and fitted spectra are in solid lines).

Fig. 7.  (a) Optical transmission spectra and (b) relation of (αhv)2 versus hv of AlN thin film deposited on quartz glass.

Table 1.   The peak positions of AlN (111) and the out-of-plane lattice constant of the cubic AlN films deposited at different growth temperatures.

Growth temperature (℃)2θ (°)Interplanar spacing d(nm)Lattice constant a (nm)
80038.6950.23270.4031
60038.5380.23340.4043
40038.5190.23350.4045
DownLoad: CSV
[1]
He H, Huang S, Wei X, et al. Interface characteristics of cubic AlN film on MgO (100) substrate. Vacuum, 2015, 119:99
[2]
Makimoto T, Kumakura K, Maeda M, et al. A new AlON buffer layer for RF-MBE growth of AlN on a sapphire substrate. J Crystal Growth, 2015, 425:138
[3]
Meng J, Liu X, Fu Z, et al. Thermal stability of AlN films prepared by ion beam assisted deposition. Appl Surf Sci, 2015, 347:109
[4]
Boo J H, Lee S B, Kim Y S, et al. Growth of AlN and GaNthin films on Si(100) using new single molecular precursors by MOCVD method. Phys Status Solidi A, 1999, 176(1):711
[5]
Zhang J X, Cheng H, Chen Y Z, et al. Growth of AlN films on Si (100) and Si (111) substrates by reactive magnetron sputtering. Surf Coat Technol, 2005, 198(1-3):68
[6]
Bakalova S, Szekeres A, Cziraki A, et al. Influence of in situ nitrogen pressure on crystallization of pulsed laser deposited AlN films. Appl Surf Sci, 2007, 253(19):8215
[7]
Setoyama M, Irie M, Ohara H, et al. Thermal stability of TiN/AlN super lattices. Thin Solid Films, 1999, 341(1/2):126
[8]
Saib S, Bouarissa N. Structural properties of AlN from first principles calculations. Eur Phys J B, 2005, 47(3):379
[9]
Mayrhofer P H, Hörling A, Karlsson L, et al. Self-organized nanostructures in the Ti-Al-N system. Appl Phys Lett, 2003, 83(10):2049
[10]
Inoue S, Okamoto K, Nakano T, et al. Epitaxial growth of AlN films on Rh ultraviolet mirrors. Appl Phys Lett, 2007, 91(13):131910
[11]
Vollstadt H. Electronic structure of high pressure phase of AlN. Proc Jpn Acad B, 1990, 66:7
[12]
Sudhir G S, Fujii H, Wong W S, et al. Pulsed laser deposition of aluminum nitride and gallium nitride thin films. Appl Surf Sci, 1998, 127(5):471
[13]
Kumar A, Chan H L, Weimer J J, et al. Structural characterization of pulsed laser-deposited AlN thin films on semiconductor substrates. Thin Solid Films, 1997, 308/309(10):406
[14]
Jagannadham K, Sharma A K, Wei Q, et al. Structural characteristics of AlN films deposited by pulsed laser deposition and reactive magnetron sputtering:a comparative study. J Vac Sci Technol A, 1998, 16(5):2804
[15]
Auner G W, Jin F, Naik V M, et al. Microstructure of low temperature grown AlN thin films on Si(111). J Appl Phys,1999, 85(11):7879
[16]
Heffelfinger J R, Medlin D L, Mccarty K F. On the initial stages of AlN thin-film growth onto (0001) oriented Al2O3 substrates by molecular beam epitaxy. J Appl Phys,1999, 85(1):466
[17]
Vollstädt H, Ito E, Akaishi M, et al. High pressure synthesis of rocksalt type of AlN. Proc Jpn Acad B,1990, 66:7
[18]
Takeuchi M, Shimizu H, Kajitani R, et al. Improvement of crystalline quality of N-polar AlN layers on c-plane sapphire by low-pressure flow-modulated MOCVD. J Cryst Growth, 2007, 298:336
[19]
Index to the powder diffraction file 2000. Published by Joint Committee on Powder Diffractions Standards
[20]
Mcguire G E, Schweitzer G K, Carlson T A. Study of core electron binding energies in some group Ⅲa, Ⅴb, and Ⅵb compounds. Inorg Chem, 1973, 12(10):2450
[21]
Liao H M, Sodhi R N S, Coyle T W. Surface composition of AlN powders studied by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and bremsstrahlung-excited Auger electron spectroscopy. J Vac Sci Technol A, 1993, 11:2681
[22]
Sánchez-López J C, Alcalá M D, Real C, et al. The use of X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy to characterize fine AlN powders submitted to mechanical attrition. Nanostruct Mater, 1999, 11(2):249
[23]
Messing G L, Hirano S, Hausner H. Ceramic powder science Ⅲ. American Ceramic Society, Westerville, OH, 1990
[24]
Bendavid A, Martin P, Netterfield R, et al. Kinder, Optical properties and stress of ion-assisted aluminum nitride thin films. Appl Opt, 1992, 31(31):6734
[25]
Martin J M, Vovelle L, Bou M. Chemistry of the interface between aluminum and polyethyleneterephtalate by XPS. Appl Surf Sci, 1991, 47:149
[26]
Shinde V R, Gujar T P, Lokhande C D, et al. Mn doped and undopedZnO films:a comparative structural, optical and electrical properties study. Mater Chem Phys, 2006, 96(2/3):326
[27]
Gadennea M, Plona J, Gadenne P. Optical properties of AlN thin films correlated with sputtering conditions. Thin Solid Films, 1998, 333:251
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    Received: 27 September 2015 Revised: 05 November 2015 Online: Published: 01 June 2016

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      Biju Zheng, Wen Hu. Cubic AlN thin film formation on quartz substrate by pulse laser deposition[J]. Journal of Semiconductors, 2016, 37(6): 063003. doi: 10.1088/1674-4926/37/6/063003 B J Zheng, W Hu. Cubic AlN thin film formation on quartz substrate by pulse laser deposition[J]. J. Semicond., 2016, 37(6): 063003. doi: 10.1088/1674-4926/37/6/063003.Export: BibTex EndNote
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      Biju Zheng, Wen Hu. Cubic AlN thin film formation on quartz substrate by pulse laser deposition[J]. Journal of Semiconductors, 2016, 37(6): 063003. doi: 10.1088/1674-4926/37/6/063003

      B J Zheng, W Hu. Cubic AlN thin film formation on quartz substrate by pulse laser deposition[J]. J. Semicond., 2016, 37(6): 063003. doi: 10.1088/1674-4926/37/6/063003.
      Export: BibTex EndNote

      Cubic AlN thin film formation on quartz substrate by pulse laser deposition

      doi: 10.1088/1674-4926/37/6/063003
      Funds:

      the Yunnan Provincial Natural of Science Foundation of China No. KKSY201251089

      Project supported by the Yunnan Provincial Natural of Science Foundation of China (No. KKSY201251089).

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      • Corresponding author: Email: zhengbiju@gmail.com
      • Received Date: 2015-09-27
      • Revised Date: 2015-11-05
      • Published Date: 2016-06-01

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