Low-Temperature Synthesis of C-Axis-Oriented Polycrystalline Aluminum Nitride Films by Electron Cyclotron Resonance Plasma Chemical Vapor Deposition Using AlBr3-N2-H2-Ar Gas System

Aluminum nitride (AlN) thin films have been synthesized on silicon substrates via microwave-excited electron cyclotron resonance (ECR) assisted chemical vapor deposition (CVD) at substrate temperatures ranging from 300 to 400°C from the AlBr3-N2-H2-Ar gas system. The resultant films were characterized using X-ray diffraction, scanning and transmission electron spectroscopies, transmission electron diffraction, infrared transmission spectroscopy, and Auger electron spectroscopy. The study of these analyses shows that highly c-axis-oriented polycrystalline AlN films, free of bromine and hydrogen impurities, can be deposited by the ECR plasma CVD method.