HIGH-RESOLUTION TRANSMISSION ELECTRON-MICROSCOPY STUDY ON THE MICROSTRUCTURES OF ALUMINUM NITRIDE AND HYDROGENATED ALUMINUM NITRIDE FILMS PREPARED BY RADIO-FREQUENCY REACTIVE SPUTTERING

Aluminum nitride (AlN) and hydrogenated aluminum nitride (AlN:H) films on Si substrate have been deposited by the radio frequency reactive m agnetron sputtering. The microstructures of the two films have been ex amined and compared by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and high -resolution TEM. In the growth of the AlN:H film, it has been observed that the amorphous phase is formed at the initial stage of deposition , and c-axis oriented crystallite nucleates at the amorphous layer. Th e lattice mismatch between the film and substrate and the stress in th e film are reduced, and the film surface is smooth due to this amorpho us phase. A schematic model explaining the growth of AlN and AlN:H fil ms is proposed, and the reason for the easy formation of the amorphous phase in AlN:H film is discussed. (C) 1997 American Institute of Phys ics.