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Stress tuning in AIN thin films
Author(s) -
Rille E.,
Öfner H.,
Zarwasch R.,
Pulker H. K.
Publication year - 1991
Publication title -
vakuum in forschung und praxis
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.213
H-Index - 13
eISSN - 1522-2454
pISSN - 0947-076X
DOI - 10.1002/vipr.2230030212
Subject(s) - thin film , aluminium , analytical chemistry (journal) , nitride , materials science , sputtering , stress (linguistics) , aluminium nitride , ultimate tensile strength , composite material , atmosphere (unit) , sputter deposition , deposition (geology) , chemistry , nanotechnology , layer (electronics) , thermodynamics , chromatography , paleontology , linguistics , philosophy , physics , sediment , biology
Aluminium nitride films were deposited on fused silica by reactive dc magnetron sputtering from an Al‐target in an Ar/N 2 atmosphere. In‐situ measurements during deposition provided data concerning mechanical stresses inherent to the growing thin films. By variation of both the gas composition (Ar, N 2 ) and the total gas flow in the vacuum chamber, the occuring intrinsic stresses could be shifted in magnitude and direction. Stress values of the AIN films ranged from −0.9 GPa (compressive) to +1.2 GPa (tensile) when the Ar/N 2 ratio was varied between 3:1 and 1:3 for the different total gas flows of 50 sccm, 100 sccm, and 200 sccm (corresponding to total gas pressures of approximately 2 × 10 −1 Pa, 4 × 10 −1 Pa, and 8 × 10 −1 Pa respectively). Investigations of optical and structural film properties were carried out and the results were related to the observed film stress.