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Polycrystalline Grain Structure of Sputtered Aluminum Nitride Films

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  15 February 2011

Asher T Matsuda ,
H. Ming Liaw ,
Wayne A Cronin ,
Harland G Tompkins ,
Peter L Fejes  and
Keenan L Evans
Asher T Matsuda
Affiliation:
Motorola Inc./Semiconductor Products Sector, 2100 E. Elliot Rd., Tempe, AZ 85284
H. Ming Liaw
Affiliation:
Motorola Inc./Semiconductor Products Sector, 2100 E. Elliot Rd., Tempe, AZ 85284
Wayne A Cronin
Affiliation:
Motorola Inc./Semiconductor Products Sector, 2100 E. Elliot Rd., Tempe, AZ 85284
Harland G Tompkins
Affiliation:
Motorola Inc./Semiconductor Products Sector, 2200 W. Broadway Rd., Mesa, AZ 85201
Peter L Fejes
Affiliation:
Motorola Inc./Semiconductor Products Sector, 2200 W. Broadway Rd., Mesa, AZ 85201
Keenan L Evans
Affiliation:
Motorola Inc./Semiconductor Products Sector, 5005 E. McDowell Rd., Phoenix, AZ 85008
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Abstract

Reactively-sputtered, polycrystalline thin film aluminum nitride (AlN) is an attractive material for use in acoustic wave devices, for which it requires a strong preferred orientation, similar to that found in epitaxial films. This investigation evaluated the grain structure including preferred orientation, grain size, and surface morphology of sputtered A1N films. The characterization techniques utilized included x-ray diffraction (XRD), secondary ion mass spectroscopy (SIMS), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and atomic force microscopy (AFM). The results revealed two types of grain structure: 1) a single-grain columnar structure that is perfectly oriented in the [001] direction throughout the entire film thickness and 2) a multiple-grain columnar structure that possesses a strong [001] orientation at the bottom of the film and a tilted [001] combined with other orientations at the top of the film. Strong correlations between orientation and surface morphology, oxygen content, and grain size were observed, namely higher degrees of c-axis orientation correlated with lower mean surface roughness values, reduced oxygen concentration, and narrower grains.

Type
Research Article
Information
MRS Online Proceedings Library (OPL) , Volume 343: Symposium H – Polycrystalline Thin Films - Structure, Texture, Properties and Applications , 1994 , 753
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 1994

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