Published online by Cambridge University Press: 25 January 2013
Effects of adding Erbium(Er) to Aluminum Nitride thin films on their structural and piezoelectric are reported along with stability of the films after annealing them at temperatures up to 600° C. The thin films samples were deposited on the (001) p-type silicon substrates by reactive magnetron sputtering, using the Er alloyed Aluminum targets with Er atomic concentrations of 0, 1, 3 and 4% and the magnetron sputtering power of 200 W. The samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). XPS analysis was used to confirm the stoichiometry of AlN phase, Er atomic content and its possible chemical state in the films. Results show that alloying with Er results in higher piezoelectric coefficient d33 as compared to that in Er-free AlN thin films. Structural analysis of the films by XRD shows the shift of (0002) AlN peak to lower 2θ values upon Er doping, indicating the presence of uniform internal compressive stress.