Photolytic deposition of aluminum nitride and oxy-nitride films at temperatures ≤ 350k

Aluminum nitride and oxy-nitride thin films have been deposited on Si(100) substrates at temperatures of 300-350K by gas-phase excimer laser photolysis at 193 nm. The precursors used for this deposition process are trimethylamine alane and ammonia. The properties of these laser-deposited films were studied using scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive x-ray analysis, and x-ray diffraction. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy has been extensively used to provide information regarding the chemical compositions on the surface and in the bulk of these laser deposited films, as well as on the chemical states of the components of the films. Well-adhering, smooth, amorphous films of AlN are obtained at a substrate temperature of 350K using this technique.