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Aluminum nitride films synthesized by dual ion beam sputtering

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 December 2004

Sheng Han
Affiliation:
Department of Finance, National Taichung Institute of Technology, Taichung, Taiwan 404, Republic of China
Hong-Ying Chen
Affiliation:
Department of Applied Life Science, Taichung Healthcare and Management University, Taichung County, Taiwan 413, Republic of China
Chih-Hsuan Cheng
Affiliation:
Department of Materials Engineering, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung, Taiwan 402, Republic of China
Jian-Hong Lin
Affiliation:
Department of Materials Science and Engineering, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, Taiwan 300, Republic of China
Han C. Shih*
Affiliation:
Department of Materials Engineering, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung, Taiwan 402, Republic of China; and Department of Materials Science and Engineering, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, Taiwan 300, Republic of China
*
a)Address all correspondence to this author. e-mail: hcshih@mse.nthu.edu.tw
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Abstract

Aluminum nitride films were deposited by varying the voltages of argon ion beams from 400 to 1200 V in dual ion beam sputtering. The crystal structure, microstructure, and elemental distributions of the aluminum nitride films were analyzed by x-ray diffraction, field emission scanning electron microscopy, and secondary ion mass spectroscopy, respectively. The aluminum nitride films exhibited the 〈002〉 preferred orientation at an optimal ion beam voltage of 800 V. The orientation changed to a mixture of {100} and {002} planes above 800 V, accounting for radiation damage. The thickness of the film increases with increasing ion beam voltage, reaching a steady state value of 210 nm at an ion beam voltage of 1200 V. Under optimal condition (800 V), the c-axis orientation of the aluminum nitride 〈002〉 film was obtained with a dense and high-quality crystal structure.

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Articles
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2004

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References

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