Texture growth of AlN films deposited on Si(100) and (111) by DC reactive magnetron sputtering (dcMS) and by high power impulse magnetron sputtering (HiPIMS)

Abstract

We have studied the texture evolution of Aluminum nitride (AlN) thin. AlN thin films were deposited on Si (100) substrate by dc magnetron sputtering (dcMS) and High Power Impulse Magnetron Sputtering (HiPIMS) technics.We consider the influence of the deposition parameters (thickness, orientation of the substrate) on the anisotropy of the films. These films are aimed for many applications in electronics and photonics. They are used for acousto-optical filters type SAW (Surface acoustic wave) and UV emitting diodes. They are particularly useful in photonics (filter, Bragg mirror, LED, UV). Control of the anisotropy can improve the mechanical use properties of thin films. The most research works concerning AlN films have been focused on the wurtzite crystal phase,However the cubic AlN has many interesting properties, which are very different from those of the hexagonal phase. For example, is attracting more interest for its higher crystal- lographic symmetry, and it is expected to exhibit higher thermal conductivity, electrical resistivity, and acoustic velocity than h-AlN. Anyway this phaseis stilldifficult tocharacterize.