Growth dynamics of aluminum nitride and aluminum oxide thin films synthesized by ion-assisted deposition

Abstract

Some aspects of the dynamics of thin-film synthesis of aluminum nitride and aluminum oxide produced by ion-assisted deposition have been deduced from in situ measurements by ellipsometry, photometry, and ion scattering spectroscopy. Measurements obtained during the etching of aluminum films by nitrogen and oxygen ion beams have established the thickness of the synthesized layer and the rate of compound formation. Some of these measurements have been compared with a theoretical model which predicts the time evolution of the synthesized surface layer as well as the steady-state layer thickness. The breakdown voltage and variation of capacitance with applied voltage of aluminum oxide films prepared by ion-assisted deposition are also presented. Furthermore, the optical properties of ion-assisted AlN and Al2O3 in the visible region are given.