Growing aluminum nitride films by Plasma-Enhanced Atomic Layer Deposition at low temperatures

Aluminum nitride films have been grown by Plasma-Enhanced Atomic Layer Deposition method. It was found that at temperatures of 250 °C and 280 °C increase of the plasma exposure step duration over 6 s, as well as increase of reactor purge step duration over 1 s does not affect the growth rate, however, it affects the microstructure of the films. It was found that crystalline aluminum nitride films deposit with plasma exposure duration over 10 s and the reactor purging over 10 s. When the temperature drops the increase of reactor purge step duration and plasma exposure step duration over 20 s is required for crystalline AlN film growth. (paper)