Effect of Argon Flow to the Growth of Aluminum Nitride Thin Films using RF Magnetron Sputtering

The paper presents a high crystalline aluminum nitride (AIN) thin films with c-axis orientation under the optimized sputtering conditions of 200 W RF power, 5 mTorr working pressure and substrate temperature in room temperature. The study examines the effects of Argon (Ar) gas on the characteristics of AlN thin films. A radio frequency (RF) magnetron sputtering system has been used for the deposition of AlN on silicon (Si) substrates with a different flow of Ar gas flow measured in standard cubic centimeters per minute (sccm), The flow rate of Ar is varied from 50 sccm, 70 sccm, and 100 sccm. The effect of Ar gas flow on structural properties is experimentally investigated. It was found that sputtering at higher Ar flow rate had smaller crystal size and smaller grain size but low deposition rate. It also observed that quality of the thin films with high Ar flow rate improved the quality of AlN thin films as the dominant peak at (002) orientation become clearer at the same time other peak diminished.