Electrical conduction and dielectric relaxation properties of AlN thin films grown by hollow-cathode plasma-assisted atomic layer deposition

Date
2016
Advisor
Instructor
Source Title
Semiconductor Science and Technology
Print ISSN
0268-1242
Electronic ISSN
1361-6641
Publisher
Institute of Physics Publishing
Volume
31
Issue
7
Pages
075003-1 - 075003-7
Language
English
Type
Article
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Abstract

In this study, aluminum nitride (AlN) thin films were deposited at 200 �C, on p-type silicon substrates utilizing a capacitively coupled hollow-cathode plasma source integrated atomic layer deposition (ALD) reactor. The structural properties of AlN were characterized by grazing incidence x-ray diffraction, by which we confirmed the hexagonal wurtzite single-phase crystalline structure. The films exhibited an optical band edge around ∼5.7 eV. The refractive index and extinction coefficient of the AlN films were measured via a spectroscopic ellipsometer. In addition, to investigate the electrical conduction mechanisms and dielectric properties, Al/AlN/p-Si metal-insulator-semiconductor capacitor structures were fabricated, and current density-voltage and frequency dependent (7 kHz-5 MHz) dielectric constant measurements (within the strong accumulation region) were performed. A peak of dielectric loss was observed at a frequency of 3 MHz and the Cole-Davidson empirical formula was used to determine the relaxation time. It was concluded that the native point defects such as nitrogen vacancies and DX centers formed with the involvement of Si atoms into the AlN layers might have influenced the electrical conduction and dielectric relaxation properties of the plasma-assisted ALD grown AlN films.

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Keywords
Aluminum nitride, Atomic layer deposition (ALD), Current transport, Dielectric, Hollowcathode plasma, Plasma-assisted ALD, Aluminum, Aluminum coatings, Aluminum nitride, Atoms, Cathodes, Color centers, Deposition, Dielectric losses, Dielectric materials, Dielectric properties, Dielectric relaxation, Electrodes, Electron sources, Metal insulator boundaries, MIS devices, Nitrides, Nitrogen plasma, Point defects, Pulsed laser deposition, Refractive index, Structural properties, Thin films, X ray diffraction, Zinc sulfide, Current transport, Dielectric-constant measurements, Electrical conduction mechanisms, Grazing incidence x-ray diffraction, Hollow cathodes, Metal insulator semiconductor capacitors, Single phase crystalline structure, Spectroscopic ellipsometers, Atomic layer deposition
Citation
Published Version (Please cite this version)