Fabrication Condition Optimization of AIN Films and Its Nanometer Scale Piezoelectric Properties

摘要

Aluminum nitride (AlN) thin films were deposited on Si and Pt substrates via DC magnetron sputtering, and the orientation and surface morphology of the films were optimized by controlling the distance between the target and substrate (D-ts). The microstructure and surface morphology of the AlN films is characterized via XRD and SEM, and the micro area piezoelectric properties were measured using PFM. The XRD and SEM results indicate that AlN films with a (002) preferred orientation were obtained with D-ts = 4 cm. The PFM results also show excellent uniformity of 64 butterfly curves within a 2*2 mu m(2) area. There was a difference in the amplitude and phase when comparing the polarized area (2*2 mu m(2)) with -10 V bias and polarized area (4*4 mu m(2)) with + 10 V applied voltage. Under optimum conditions, the as-deposited AlN films show uniform piezoelectric properties and favorable read and write performance.