INVESTIGATION OF DC-REACTIVE MAGNETRON-SPUTTERED ALN THIN-FILMS BY ELECTRON-MICROPROBE ANALYSIS, X-RAY PHOTOELECTRON-SPECTROSCOPY AND POLARIZED INFRARED REFLECTION

Thin films of AlN were deposited at a total gas pressure of 7 x 10(-4) mbar and a nitrogen partial pressure of 9 x 10(-5) mbar by reactive d .c. magnetron sputtering. Low-carbon steel 08KP, Si (100) wafers and m onocrystal KCI were used as substrates. Electron microprobe analysis ( EMA), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), polarised infra-red refl ection and infra-red (PIRR) transmission measurements were carried out to characterise these films. The EMA analysis confirms the microcryst alline structure of our films. From an XPS spectrum of the deposited A IN films, we have demonstrated that AlN was formed at these values of total and partial pressures. The PIRR measurements indicate the presen ce of a phonon at about 680 cm(-1), typical for AlN. The deposited fil ms have a high transmittance (about 80%) in the wavelength region betw een 2.5 and 12 mu m. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science S.A.