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Interfacial studies of Al 2 O 3 deposited on 4H‐SiC(0001)
Author(s) -
Diplas Spyros,
Avice Marc,
Thøgersen Annett,
Christensen Jens S.,
Grossner Ulrike,
Svensson Bengt G.,
Nilsen Ola,
Fjellvåg Helmer,
Hinder Steve,
Watts John F.
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
surface and interface analysis
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.52
H-Index - 90
eISSN - 1096-9918
pISSN - 0142-2421
DOI - 10.1002/sia.2787
Subject(s) - high resolution transmission electron microscopy , x ray photoelectron spectroscopy , annealing (glass) , oxide , transmission electron microscopy , stoichiometry , materials science , crystallization , analytical chemistry (journal) , atomic layer deposition , thin film , crystallography , chemical engineering , nanotechnology , chemistry , metallurgy , chromatography , engineering
Abstract Al 2 O 3 films deposited on 4H‐SiC(0001) by atomic layer deposition (ALD) were characterized by XPS, and high‐resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM). The effect of medium and high temperature (873, 1273 K) annealing on samples with oxide thicknesses of 5–8 and 100–120 nm was studied. XPS indicated the presence of a thin (∼1 nm) SiO x layer on the as‐grown samples which increased to ∼3 nm after annealing above crystallization temperature (1273 K) in Ar atmosphere. Upon annealing the stoichiometry of the interfacial oxide approaches that of SiO 2 . HRTEM showed that the thickness of the interfacial oxide formed after annealing at 1273 K was not uniform. No significant increase in the thickness of the interfacial oxide, was observed after annealing at 873 K in a N 2 (90%)/H 2 (10%) atmosphere. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.