SiC and AlN thin films were deposited on silicon substrates by KrF excimer
laser ablation from SiC and AlN tar gets. They were characterized by FTIR a
nd Raman spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, Auger electron spectroscopy, scan
ning and transmission electron microscopy. Improvements in crystalline SiC
thin film deposition by laser ablation combined with laser surface activati
on were reported recently [M. Diegel. F. Falk, H. Hobert, R. Hergt, H. Staf
ast, Appl. Phys. A, Vol. 66, 1998, p. 183]. These investigations were exten
ded by using an intermediate layer of AlN. Crystalline AlN films were depos
ited on Si at a substrate temperature of 750 degrees C. Laser activation of
the film surface during deposition deteriorates the AlN film properties. A
s next step SiC was deposited onto the AIN layers. At the relatively low te
mperature of 800 degrees C an AIN buffer layer improves the quality of SIC
films. Modellings of LR reflection spectra revealed that the SiC/AlN films
on Si(lll) can be simulated by optical methods. For both materials high dep
osition rates of approximately 50 nm/min at a moderate substrate temperatur
e were obtained. Thus, film preparation for optical applications where a fi
lm thickness of some 100 nm is required seems to be realistic. (C) 1999 Els
evier Science B.V. All rights reserved.