Study on direct current reactive sputtering deposition of aluminum nitride thin films

Abstract

Aluminum nitride thin films were deposited by dc magnetron reactive sputtering. The deposition parameters (cathode voltage, incident power, total pressure, and N2 partial pressure) were correlated and their influences on the compositional properties of the films were determined. The analytical tools used to characterize the aluminum nitride thin films were Rutherford backscattering spectrometry and the (d,p) and (p,y) nuclear reactions. From these techniques the thickness and stoichiometric ratio N/ Al of the films, the N and Al depth profiles, and the contamination levels of 0 and C were obtained.