Thin film sputter-deposition of AlN crystals in oxygenated chamber: a pilot study
Aluminium nitride (AIN) is a promising thin film electrical insulation material layer in electronic devices. The magnetron sputtering method is usually employed to sputter-deposit AlN thin film on silicon (Si) substrate using a pure aluminium (Al) metallic target in a low base pressure vacuum condit...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
IOP Publishing
2025-01-01
|
| Series: | Materials Research Express |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1088/2053-1591/ad9b70 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1841555984111108096 |
|---|---|
| author | Muhammad Izzuddin Abd Samad Syazwani Izrah Badrudin Marwan Mansor Nafarizal Nayan Ahmad Shuhaimi Abu Bakar Mohd Zamri Yusop Rhonira Latif |
| author_facet | Muhammad Izzuddin Abd Samad Syazwani Izrah Badrudin Marwan Mansor Nafarizal Nayan Ahmad Shuhaimi Abu Bakar Mohd Zamri Yusop Rhonira Latif |
| author_sort | Muhammad Izzuddin Abd Samad |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Aluminium nitride (AIN) is a promising thin film electrical insulation material layer in electronic devices. The magnetron sputtering method is usually employed to sputter-deposit AlN thin film on silicon (Si) substrate using a pure aluminium (Al) metallic target in a low base pressure vacuum condition. In many cases, the thin film deposition of high quality AlN crystals requires the application of heat and bias to the substrate, highly pure nitrogen reactant gas, argon sputtering gas and Al target, low sputtering pressure, high sputtering power, post-deposition AlN annealing, ultra-low base pressure of the sputtering chamber and a distinctive crystal orientation of the nucleation layer or substrate underneath. In our work, the utilisation of AlN ceramic target instead of pure Al metallic target has allegedly facilitated the growth of AlN crystals without the need to conform to these requirements. Non-amorphous AlN〈100〉 and AlN〈002〉 thin film crystals have been successfully sputtered from AlN ceramic target on Si〈100〉 substrate in a relatively high sputtering chamberbase pressure and at a moderate 200 W - 250 W of sputtering power. Additionally, 250 W of sputtering power has been observed to assist in the growth of AlN〈002〉 crystals. The presence of AlN〈002〉 may have reduced the leakage/tunnel current density in AlN thin film layer to 46.33 pA cm ^−2 and modified the small-scale surface height characteristics. A high degree of AlN〈002〉 crystallisation may suggest good electrical insulating properties in AlN thin film layer, which can be applied in electronic devices that critically require a low leakage current specification. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-7effe23170564cef852c4c60f4f88bc9 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2053-1591 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | IOP Publishing |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Materials Research Express |
| spelling | doaj-art-7effe23170564cef852c4c60f4f88bc92025-01-07T15:46:57ZengIOP PublishingMaterials Research Express2053-15912025-01-0112101150110.1088/2053-1591/ad9b70Thin film sputter-deposition of AlN crystals in oxygenated chamber: a pilot studyMuhammad Izzuddin Abd Samad0https://orcid.org/0009-0004-8647-0317Syazwani Izrah Badrudin1https://orcid.org/0009-0008-6585-9816Marwan Mansor2Nafarizal Nayan3https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9962-5283Ahmad Shuhaimi Abu Bakar4Mohd Zamri Yusop5Rhonira Latif6https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2836-6018Institute of Microengineering and Nanoelectronics (IMEN), Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia , 43600 Bangi, Selangor, MalaysiaInstitute of Microengineering and Nanoelectronics (IMEN), Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia , 43600 Bangi, Selangor, MalaysiaLow Dimensional Materials Research Centre (LDMRC), Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, Universiti Malaya , 50603 Kuala Lumpur, MalaysiaMicroelectronics and Nanotechnology-Shamsuddin Research Centre (MiNT-SRC), Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia , 86400 Parit Raja, Batu Pahat, Johor, MalaysiaLow Dimensional Materials Research Centre (LDMRC), Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, Universiti Malaya , 50603 Kuala Lumpur, MalaysiaAdvanced Membrane Technology Research Centre (AMTEC), Faculty of Engineering, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia , 81310 Skudai, Johor, MalaysiaInstitute of Microengineering and Nanoelectronics (IMEN), Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia , 43600 Bangi, Selangor, MalaysiaAluminium nitride (AIN) is a promising thin film electrical insulation material layer in electronic devices. The magnetron sputtering method is usually employed to sputter-deposit AlN thin film on silicon (Si) substrate using a pure aluminium (Al) metallic target in a low base pressure vacuum condition. In many cases, the thin film deposition of high quality AlN crystals requires the application of heat and bias to the substrate, highly pure nitrogen reactant gas, argon sputtering gas and Al target, low sputtering pressure, high sputtering power, post-deposition AlN annealing, ultra-low base pressure of the sputtering chamber and a distinctive crystal orientation of the nucleation layer or substrate underneath. In our work, the utilisation of AlN ceramic target instead of pure Al metallic target has allegedly facilitated the growth of AlN crystals without the need to conform to these requirements. Non-amorphous AlN〈100〉 and AlN〈002〉 thin film crystals have been successfully sputtered from AlN ceramic target on Si〈100〉 substrate in a relatively high sputtering chamberbase pressure and at a moderate 200 W - 250 W of sputtering power. Additionally, 250 W of sputtering power has been observed to assist in the growth of AlN〈002〉 crystals. The presence of AlN〈002〉 may have reduced the leakage/tunnel current density in AlN thin film layer to 46.33 pA cm ^−2 and modified the small-scale surface height characteristics. A high degree of AlN〈002〉 crystallisation may suggest good electrical insulating properties in AlN thin film layer, which can be applied in electronic devices that critically require a low leakage current specification.https://doi.org/10.1088/2053-1591/ad9b70crystal growthcrystal structureelectrical propertiesmicrostructurethin films |
| spellingShingle | Muhammad Izzuddin Abd Samad Syazwani Izrah Badrudin Marwan Mansor Nafarizal Nayan Ahmad Shuhaimi Abu Bakar Mohd Zamri Yusop Rhonira Latif Thin film sputter-deposition of AlN crystals in oxygenated chamber: a pilot study Materials Research Express crystal growth crystal structure electrical properties microstructure thin films |
| title | Thin film sputter-deposition of AlN crystals in oxygenated chamber: a pilot study |
| title_full | Thin film sputter-deposition of AlN crystals in oxygenated chamber: a pilot study |
| title_fullStr | Thin film sputter-deposition of AlN crystals in oxygenated chamber: a pilot study |
| title_full_unstemmed | Thin film sputter-deposition of AlN crystals in oxygenated chamber: a pilot study |
| title_short | Thin film sputter-deposition of AlN crystals in oxygenated chamber: a pilot study |
| title_sort | thin film sputter deposition of aln crystals in oxygenated chamber a pilot study |
| topic | crystal growth crystal structure electrical properties microstructure thin films |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1088/2053-1591/ad9b70 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT muhammadizzuddinabdsamad thinfilmsputterdepositionofalncrystalsinoxygenatedchamberapilotstudy AT syazwaniizrahbadrudin thinfilmsputterdepositionofalncrystalsinoxygenatedchamberapilotstudy AT marwanmansor thinfilmsputterdepositionofalncrystalsinoxygenatedchamberapilotstudy AT nafarizalnayan thinfilmsputterdepositionofalncrystalsinoxygenatedchamberapilotstudy AT ahmadshuhaimiabubakar thinfilmsputterdepositionofalncrystalsinoxygenatedchamberapilotstudy AT mohdzamriyusop thinfilmsputterdepositionofalncrystalsinoxygenatedchamberapilotstudy AT rhoniralatif thinfilmsputterdepositionofalncrystalsinoxygenatedchamberapilotstudy |