<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><p>Three methods of AlN layers oxidation: dry, wet and mixed (wet with oxygen) were compared. Some physical parameters of oxidized thin films of aluminum nitride (AlN) layers grown on silicon Si(1 1 1) were investigated by means Energy-Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (EDS) and Spectroscopic Ellipsometry (SE). Three series of the thermal oxidations processes were carried out at 1012 °C in pure nitrogen as carrying gas and various gas ambients: (a) dry oxidation with oxygen, (b) wet oxidation with water steam and (c) mixed atmosphere with various process times. All the research methods have shown that along with the rising of the oxidation time, AlN layer across the aluminum oxide nitride transforms to aluminum oxide. The mixed oxidation was a faster method than the dry or wet ones.</p></abstract>

Three methods of AlN layers oxidation: dry, wet and mixed (wet with oxygen) were compared. Some physical parameters of oxidized thin films of aluminum nitride (AlN) layers grown on silicon Si(1 1 1) were investigated by means Energy-Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (EDS) and Spectroscopic Ellipsometry (SE). Three series of the thermal oxidations processes were carried out at 1012 °C in pure nitrogen as carrying gas and various gas ambients: (a) dry oxidation with oxygen, (b) wet oxidation with water steam and (c) mixed atmosphere with various process times. All the research methods have shown that along with the rising of the oxidation time, AlN layer across the aluminum oxide nitride transforms to aluminum oxide. The mixed oxidation was a faster method than the dry or wet ones.

Preliminary comparison of three processes of AlN oxidation: dry, wet and mixed ones

Faculty of Microsystem Electronics and Photonics, Wroclaw University of Technology, Janiszewskiego 11-17, 50-370 Wroclaw,

Materials Science-Poland

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Three methods of AlN layers oxidation: dry, wet and mixed (wet with oxygen) were compared. Some physical parameters of oxidized thin films of aluminum nitride...

Sample	Thermal oxidation	AlN Cauchy	AlN Cauchy + Void		Al₂O₃ + Void		MSE
Sample	time [min]	Thickness [nm]	Thickness [nm]	Void [%]	Thickness [nm]	Void[%]	MSE
test_ aln	0	181	44	51	0	100	18.34
As37	10	45	41	10	40	41	16.39
As39	30	116	62	11	49	27	21.32
As38	50	78	87	9	58	19	23.93
As40	100	40	114	12	82	10	21.24

Sample	Thermal oxidation	AlN Cauchy	AlN Cauchy + Void		Al₂O₃ + Void		MSE
Sample	time [min]	Thickness [nm]	Thickness [nm]	Void [%]	Thickness [nm]	Void[%]	MSE
test_ aln	0	181	44	51	0	100	18.34
As33	10	154	45	12	38	44	16.13
As34	30	140	47	10	44	43	19.02
As35	50	134	48	11	45	44	19.17
As36	100	105	68	8	51	38	23.91

Sample	Thermal oxidation	AlN Cauchy	AlN Cauchy + Void		Al₂O₃ + Void		MSE
Sample	time [min]	Thickness [nm]	Thickness [nm]	Void [%]	Thickness [nm]	Void [%]	MSE
X	0	213	62	53.1	0	100	8.62
As19	10	140	72	13.2	59	29.2	7.349
As21	20	98	93	11.2	76	19.7	13.9
As2	30	48	107	8.7	124	17.6	12.69
As22	40	0	131	7.9	165	15.8	17.1
As20	50	0	105	7.2	187	15.3	12.23

Preliminary comparison of three processes of AlN oxidation: dry, wet and mixed ones

Article Category: Research Article

Published Online: Apr 27, 2016

Page range: 157 - 163

Received: Aug 16, 2016

Accepted: Nov 16, 2016

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/msp-2016-0010

Keywords
thermal oxidation, AlN, AlO, AlON, EDS, SE

© 2016 Wroclaw University of Technology

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Fig. 1

Fig. 2

Fig. 3

Fig. 4

Fig. 5

Fig. 6

Fig. 7

Fig. 8

Results obtained from SE for the oxidized structures (wet type).

Results obtained from SE for the oxidized structures (dry type).

Results obtained from SE for the oxidized structures (mixed type).

Preliminary comparison of three processes of AlN oxidation: dry, wet and mixed ones

Article Category: Research Article

Published Online: Apr 27, 2016

Page range: 157 - 163

Received: Aug 16, 2016

Accepted: Nov 16, 2016

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/msp-2016-0010

Keywordsthermal oxidation, AlN, AlO, AlON, EDS, SE

© 2016 Wroclaw University of Technology

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Fig. 1

Fig. 2

Fig. 3

Fig. 4

Fig. 5

Fig. 6

Fig. 7

Fig. 8

Results obtained from SE for the oxidized structures (wet type).

Results obtained from SE for the oxidized structures (dry type).

Results obtained from SE for the oxidized structures (mixed type).

Keywords
thermal oxidation, AlN, AlO, AlON, EDS, SE