AlN films were deposited on Si(100), and Al/SiO₂/Si substrates by reactive Direct Current (DC) magnetron sputtering of an Al target, under different conditions of substrate temperature, pressure, N₂/N₂ + Ar ratio. The film properties were investigated by X-ray Diffraction, scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy. Deposition rates in the range of 1.2 to 1.8 micrometers /h were obtained, the film grain size was around 40nm. To fabricate test structures, wet chemical etching was developed to etch AlN with a good selectivity respect to Al and Si. Visual aspect and surface roughness show that the maximum temperature must be less than 300 degrees C. X-ray diffraction together with dielectric constant measurement show that films are better oriented on Si(100) than on Al/Si(100).

Date Published: 25 August 2000
PDF: 10 pages
Proc. SPIE 4174, Micromachining and Microfabrication Process Technology VI, (25 August 2000); doi: 10.1117/12.396425

Published in SPIE Proceedings Vol. 4174:
Micromachining and Microfabrication Process Technology VI
Jean Michel Karam; John A. Yasaitis, Editor(s)