Preparation of AlN films by ion-beam-enhanced deposition

Aluminum nitride (AIN) films have been synthesized on Si(100) substrates by ion-beam-enhanced deposition. The spreading resistance profile results sug gest that the spreading resistance decreases with increasing rates of Al ev aporation. If the evaporation rate of Al is higher than 2.5 Angstrom /s, th e quality of the AIN film will greatly deteriorate. The spreading resistanc e of the best quality film deposited at 0.5 Angstrom /s rate of Al was larg er than 10(8)Ohm. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy measurements indicate th e formation of AlN films at 0.5 and 1.0 Angstrom /s evaporation rates of Al . With the increasing evaporation rate of Al, the ratio of N to Al is decre ased. When deposited at 0.5 and 1.0 Angstrom /s evaporation rates of Al, th e ratios of N to Al were 0.402:1 and 0.250:1, respectively. Atomic force mi croscopy observation also shows that the surface of the ALN film formed at the 0.5 Angstrom /s rate is smoother and more uniform than that formed at 1 .0 Angstrom /s.