Presentation Information
[9p-E311-19]Improved Oxygen Robustness of AlN Film Growth Using an Al-Sheet-Assisted Sputtering Targe
〇Akihiko Teshigahara1, Shinya Yoshida1 (1.Shibaura Inst. Tech.)
Keywords:
piezoelectric,aluminum nitride,sputtering
AlN-based piezoelectric thin films are highly expected for applications in next-generation SAW/BAW and MEMS devices. However, their crystallinity severely degrades due to oxygen contamination during reactive sputtering. This critical issue is particularly pronounced in scandium-doped AlN (ScAlN), which typically demands an ultra-high vacuum environment for high-quality deposition. To address this challenge, this study attempted to improve the oxygen robustness of the thin film growth process by using a simple method of fixing an Al sheet on a pure Al target. Evaluation via RF magnetron sputtering revealed that this approach is highly effective not only for pure AlN but also for ScAlN thin films. The installation of the Al sheet successfully shifted the onset of crystallinity degradation toward higher oxygen flow rates, demonstrating a significant enhancement in oxygen robustness.