NANOSCOPIC STUDY OF ZIRCONIA FILMS GROWN BY ATOMIC LAYER DEPOSITION

摘要

Atomic layer deposition (ALD) of ZroO_2 thin films on single crystal silicon and sapphire substrates was studied. Atomic force microscopy, low-energy scanning photoelectron microscopy and high-energy electron diffraction methods were used for nanoscale characterisation of the films. It was revealed that the initial stage of growth depended significantly on the deposition temperature. At 600℃, the growth was very non-uniform during the first 50 ALD cycles, while at 300℃ the films more evenly covered the substrates in the very beginning of deposition process. Non-uniform nucleation on silicon substrates at 600℃ resulted in a significant increase of surface roughness even in relatively thick films at this temperature. No epitaxial growth was observed on silicon. On sapphire substrates, epitaxial ZrO_2 films were obtained at 500-600℃.